Ranma Just Plain Hard
by WFROSE
Summary: Yeah B! Go ahead and flame me I got my gasoline drawls on!
1. WAZZUP! To the Tendous!

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
"Oooh, must be Ranma!" Nabiki exclaimed, running for the door.  
  
"Saotome! At last!" Soun shouted, following. Kasumi and Akane stayed behind to await their guest.  
  
"How depressing, boys," growled the youngest girl.  
  
"Oooh! He's cute!" Nabiki complimented in the distance. At her sister's exclamation, Akane and Kasumi decided to go meet their new guest. Their sights came upon a boy a bit taller than Kasumi, wearing dark tinted Oakley shades, red polo shirt, and black Reebok windpants with matching wind jacket with the top diagonal half in black with the rest in red. His hair was in a pigtail. His hair was done in a braid that reached the middle of his shoulderblades, and he stood with a relaxed bearing that just shouted 'self importance'. Behind him stood a stalky man about their father's age wearing a martial arts gi, glasses, and a bandanna.  
  
"Sup," was the young man's reply. Nabiki raised an eyebrow at his laid back tone. He turned towards the two grown men that were hugging in comradery, and the girls could imagine him rolling his eyes behind his glasses, "So, you gonna invite a Nigga in?"  
  
"Uh, 'Nigga'?" all three girls chorused.  
  
"Hey, yo, you gonna let a Nigga sit at yo door, I got betta places to be. It ain't worth my duckets if I ain't gett'n my respect!"  
  
Kasumi didn't understand a word he said, but realized that it was impolite to keep their guests at the door, "Oh, pardon me, would you like to come in? I can prepare some tea, if you'd like."  
  
"That would be wonderful, Kasumi," Soun interjected, leading his old training partner towards the main room.  
  
"Hey, if it's alright, yo, mind if I get somethin' with juice?" the young man they established to be Ranma Saotome, "I ain't got me somethin' hard for a minute!"  
  
"Um, sure, juice is fine..." Kasumi replied slowly, figuring what was being asked of her, "Would you like some orange juice, apple..."  
  
"Got any hard lemon?"  
  
"Um... just a second," Kasumi headed for the kitchen.  
  
"So, I hear you've been studying martial arts in China," Nabiki started, trying to get a bit more about the young man that may be marrying one of them.  
  
"Ya, is cool. Learned some shit," Ranma replied, nodding his head lazily like some sort of car dashboard ornament.  
  
"Watch it!" Akane scolded, finding fault with their potential fiancee, "What gives you the right to come into other people's houses and start swearing?"  
  
"Hey, kid, is cool, is cool," the ponytailed boy placated while patting his hands forward in an appeasing gesture, "Just say'n the trip was a'ight. Ain't no need to be gett'n all hostile and shit."  
  
"Hmph, I bet you can't say a single sentence without swearing," Akane challenged, already knowing that she could get her father to call off this stupid engagement.  
  
"Damn skippy," Ranma stated back with a cavalier tone.  
  
"ANYways," Nabiki interjected, leading Ranma to the main room with their parents, though they sat a ways from the remenicing pair, "What was it like? How long were you there?"  
  
"It was a'aight."  
  
"Can't you say anything else?" Akane was quickly finding their new guest grating, even though she was already convinced she wouldn't like him before he got through the door.  
  
"I got to see a few things," Ranma started again, tossing a quick look to the younger girl, before turning back to Nabiki, "Though I ain't seen anything as lovely as you."  
  
Nabiki blinked, and averted her eyes. She started to form a light blush that made Akane almost gag, "Uh, th-thanks."  
  
"So how 'bout we get to talk'n?" Ranma asked, subtly scooting closer to the other girl.  
  
"Um, but we are talking," Nabiki replied, almost studdering.  
  
"I mean about you and me, so 'sup?" Nabiki jolted as she felt the hand resting on the other side of her waist, and found herself unable to get her bearings.  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Hey, he girl, just lett'n you know, we can do this at your own pace," the ponytailed young man stated smoothly, while moving closer to Nabiki's ear, "It's all about you, girl. I'm here for *you*!"  
  
"YOU said you studied martial arts?" Akane interrupted, saving her sister from the mistake that was making perverted moves on her.   
  
Ranma sighed as Nabiki started to scoot away, "Yeah, I got some skillz."  
  
"Fine, how about you show me how good you are in the dojo?" Akane challenged.  
  
"How about we go upstairs and I show you how long I am?" Ranma challenged back with a smirk. Nabiki's blush faded quickly, and she turned a blank, emotionless gaze towards their guest.  
  
"Huh?" Akane replied, dumbly.  
  
"Nevamind," Ranma replied, "Just show this Nigga the way."  
_____________________________  
  
"This is just a friendly match, okay?" Akane stated taking up a stance. Nabiki was leaning on the wall of the dojo, and noted her sister's expression; this was going to be anything other than 'friendly'.  
  
"I'm cool," Ranma replied standing easily. Akane smirked inwardly, she could already see this was going to be an easy battle, which meant that he wasn't going to be a fitting heir.  
  
"Alright, begin!" Akane charged at Ranma, and threw a punch at his face. The ponytailed martial smacked it to the side with an open palm.  
  
"You betta get that shit outta hea'!"  
  
Akane growled, and threw a kick, which Ranma leaned back from. When the kick was evaded, Akane threw another punch, which ended up backfisted with contempt from Ranma. On the sidelines, Nabiki held her chuckle, as she watched the young man toy with her sister.  
  
It took all of nine seconds for Akane to become furious with the mockery her opponent was making of her, as he made comments while swatting her attacks away like "SWAT-HILI" and "PACKED!" She jumped back to refocus, "Fine, this time... IT'S FOR REAL!" Akane dashed forward, aiming a punch for Ranma's chest. The sound of a click, and the feel of something cold and metallic against her forehead caused her to stop her punch just an inch from the ponytailed boy's chest.  
  
Nabiki stared with wide-eyed fear, at the 9mm glock being held by him sideways at eyebrow level against her sister's head. Akane's eyes rolled up, and when she noticed what that cold metallic thing was, she let out an audible gulp.  
  
"I-is that thing re-real?" Nabiki managed to studder out, while slowly making her way towards the dojo door.  
  
Ranma chuckled, "Na, kid, I'm just fuck'n wit' ya. shit ain't real." He pulled the mock gun away, and shot a yellow bb out of it to the other side of the dojo. Nabiki slumped to her knees, while Akane remained frozen.  
  
"Refreshments are ready," Kasumi's voice cried out, earning a grin from Ranma.  
  
"Shit, kid, all this batt'n made me all thirsty and shit," with that, he walked from the dojo. After recomposing herself, Nabiki scurried behind the Tendou guest, and following that, Akane quickly ran up to her room to change into something that didn't smell like urine.  
_____________________________  
  
Kasumi didn't show it, but she was moping. She hadn't missed the slightly dissappointed look that crossed what she could see of Ranma's face when he tried her lemonade. She was rather proud of it, in fact, and Ranma told her it was alright. "Just 'alright'," Kasumi whispered to herself, and then turned back to Ranma with her best smile.  
  
"Really, it's alright!" Ranma replied, making sure the eldest daughter didn't get him wrong. The lemonade was good, but he was hoping for something with a long neck and a bit... harder, "Hey, kid, lemonade taste alright to you, don't it?"  
  
"Uh, it's Kasumi's usual exellence," Nabiki replied, blushing while looking down at the table. She was holding her glass with both her hands, while Ranma held her around the waist, on his lap.  
  
"See? And there's nothing wrong with mine, is there?" he offered his glass to Nabiki, who looked down at it, and blushed harder, "Try mine, and tell her it's good too. I don't think your sister trusts me."  
  
"Oh, I trust you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi stated adimantly.  
  
"No, no, I'm gonna prove it to ya. Tell her how it tastes... uh..."  
  
"Nabiki..." the girl stated with an almost giddy whisper.  
  
"Nabiki, that's a pretty name, you know that? Almost as pretty as you." Akane had walked downstairs and arrived at the table about this point, and once again had to fight her gag reflex. The pervert had his hands all over her sister; he had to be stopped.  
  
Finally, Nabiki gave in, and took a sip from Ranma's glass, "Yes, it's just like mine, Ranma-kun."  
  
"Na, yours is more special than mine, because you drink more from that one, " Ranma stated, setting down his glass, and taking her hands to move her glass closer to his mouth, "I bet your's sweeter."  
  
"Cool off," Akane stated in a sub-arctic voice; she had as much as she could stomach.  
  
::SPLASH!!::  
  
"what... did you do that for?" Nabiki growled, and then blinked at Akane's incredulous stare. The middle Tendou sister felt something petruding into her back, and turned around to find herself sitting in the lap of a redheaded, and agitated, girl... 


	2. Jusenkyo? Damn, that's hard, Dawg!

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
Chapter 2  
  
  
The three Tendou girls sat staring at the redhead that now sat in Ranma's place. Nabiki quickly pulled herself off the girl's lap, but still too shocked to be embarrased at thought of being that close to another girl in such an intimate manner.  
  
"Who..." Kasumi ventured, the first one of the three to find her voice.  
  
The girl looked up at Akane; her eyes were hidden behind the shades, but her mouth was in a straight line of irritation before she spoke, "What the FUCK did you do that for?"  
  
Akane jumped back from the shout, still shaken by the sudden change, and not able to get her mind together, "Uhhhhh...."  
  
"Ranma?" Nabiki ventured hesitantly.  
  
The girl tossed her hands in the air, "Well shit, I guess you gon' find out 'bout it anyhow. Lemme go get the old man and we can deal you what's up, cool?"  
______________________________  
  
Genma and Ranma sat in seiza across from the Tendous, Soun didn't know where the young girl came from, and wondered where Ranma had gone.  
  
The elder Saotome pushed his glasses onto his nose further, before starting, "This is my son, Ranma."  
  
"You're... really Ranma?" Kasumi asked incredulously.  
  
"Hmm," Genma mused, "Where to start...." The bald man turned to his son, and dumped some hot tea onto her. Then after the change that shocked the Tendous for a second time, and then reached to grab Ranma by the jacket. He stopped, when he caught the straight mouthed expression on his son's face.  
  
"Uh," Genma stated, breaking out into a mild cold sweat, it all started about a month ago...  
______________________________  
  
"And this, sirs, is the Legendary Training ground of the Cursed Springs."  
  
Genma nodded to the guide, and turned to his son, "You prepared, Ranma?"  
  
"You know dis!" The young man wearing a gi with the top open and dark glasses over his eyes replied, "Cause I'm a soulja! This don't look like its shit, 'do."  
  
"You strange one, sir!" The guide replied. Not so much because their suggestion of training, despite the dangers, but because of the peculiar way the younger one spoke.  
  
"FOLLOW ME RANMA!" Genma shouted, leaping onto one of the poles.  
  
"Nigga, please, you act like you got somethin' to show me," Ranma replied and followed suit.  
  
"Ah, sirs? What you doing?"  
  
"I'm not going to go easy on you!" Genma stated, while holding a crane pose on top of a pole.  
  
"Shit, you betta bring out the skill! Else you're silly ass is gett'n dropped!" Genma leapt to initiate the attack, and Ranma met him in the air.   
  
The guide was impressed by the skill the two were displaying, but had to call out a warning, "Please sirs, very bad if you fall in spring!"  
  
His warning went unheaded, as the two fighters broke off to land on two other poles. After the slight break, they leapt at each other again. Genma committed to a flying kick, which Ranma tucked his legs up and to the side to avoid...  
  
::CRACK!!!!::  
  
The larger man fell to the spring below them, while Ranma landed on another pole, and tossed the broken baseball bat away, "hey, Pops, that was fucking weak, even for you!" Ranma was squatting, while waiting for his father to resurface. The water swirlled, and a large black and white creature leapt from it. It stood poised on the pole it landed on to attack, a large lump on the side of its head was prominant.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!?" Ranma shouted, while pointing to the panda that opposed him.  
  
"That is spring of drowned Panda. Very tragic story of panda that drown there two thousand year ago. Now, whoever fall in spring take body of large panda."  
  
"HOLD UP! HOLD UP!" the ponytailed boy called out, leaping into the air as the panda flew towards him. He was caught off-guard, and knocked back into another spring.  
  
"Oooooh, no spring of drowned girl. Tragic story of young girl that drown in spring fifteen hundred year ago. Now whoever fall in spring take body of young girl."  
  
Ranma came to the surface, and noticed a different type of weight in his, or rather, her front. The redhead opened her gi, and looked down, staring for a good long while. She didn't shout or scream or faint, which the guide had been expecting. Instead, he seemed to smile slightly, and look towards the panda.  
  
"Hey, Pop, come here for a sec..." Ranma beckoned with her index finger while raising her head up for the same implication. The panda started to slowly back away at the slightly jovial and conversational tone, and Ranma noted the wariness, " I just wanna talk to you for a sec, that's all..."  
  
Genma ran, possibly faster than he had ever been before.  
______________________________  
  
"The Legendary ground of the accursed Springs," Soun stated, somberly, Its true horror has always been shrouded in mystery, but now..."  
  
"True horror my left NUT!" Ranma shouted, and then grabbed his father in a swift motion, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!?" Genma couldn't turn to the clicking sound, not that he needed to, he already knew what was in his son's right hand.  
  
"Uh... n-now son," Genma studdered, "We-weren't y-you willing t-to sacrifice y-y-your life for the a-art?"  
  
"My life, yes," Ranma growled, and pressed the barrel tighter into Genma's skull, "But I also don't mind being an orphen, either." The smiling mouth nearly caused the older Soatome to faint.  
  
Fortunately, Kasumi came to the rescue, "You just went too far, Mr. Saotome!"  
  
"Yeah, even for martial arts training!" Nabiki added, just as furious, herself.  
  
"What ever made you do something so dangerous?"  
  
"Ah, don't sweat it, yo," Ranma replied with a tired voice, "The damn fool couldn't read Chinese worth shit, so he didn't know."  
  
Cold water landed on Genma, "So, when doused with cold water, you become your cursed form..." Soun turned to dump some on Ranma, but the aim was pushed off by a frantic panda.  
  
"Nice save, Pop," Ranma said with some amusement, while buffing his nails against his windjacket.  
  
"uh, and doused with hot water, you return to your human form!" Soun instead uplifted a kettle of steaming hot water onto his old training partner, "Well now, your situation isn't so bad! My eldest daughter, Kasumi; she's nineteen. My middle daughter Nabiki, she's seventeen. And, lastly, my youngest daughter, Akane; she's sixteen. Pick one, and she will be your fiancee."  
  
Ranma quickly turned a straight mouthed look towards his father. Genma whimpered. "Fiancee?" Ranma asked, somewhat pleasantly. Genma whimpered again, this time at the tone of the voice.  
  
The three girls looked at each other timidly, "Oh, he wants Akane," Kasumi stated, grabbing her youngest sister by a shoulder.  
  
"Hey! Nabiki seems to like him most!" Akane proclaimed, pointing to the middle daughter  
  
"Aaaaahhhh, Kasumi is the best cook!" Nabiki stated, pointing to her older sister.  
  
"Now, now, don't be basheful, girls!" Soun said cheerfully. He was proud at how modest his daughters are.  
  
Ranma came to the save, "Look, tell ya what, dawg..." Ranma put his arm around Soun like he was his best friend, "I ain't in with this fiancee thing right now. Don't get me wrong, they're fine as fuck and all, but I ain't look'n for no commitments yet. Why don't you, say, lemme talk with them. I'm pretty sho' we can come up with somethin'." Ranma turned his glance towards the three girls who were arguing over who had the best' right' to become the ponytailed boy's fiancee. When they noticed the attention, they ceased immidiately.  
  
"Now, I say, I have to object..."  
  
"SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, DOESN'T IT, SOUN?" Genma made Soun's head nod in affirmative, with his hand over his host's mouth. His son's mouth never changed from a straight line, which meant that he wasn't in the mood to... argue... in the traditional fashion.  
  
"A'aight, you cool then, you cool," Ranma patted Mr. Tendou on the back, and walked away, "So, were can I fall, yo? Nigga be feel'n lazy."  
  
"Hmph, like I would want anything to do with a pervert like you!" Akane voiced adimantly. Even if the plan was somewhat thesable, it still meant most likely one of her sisters (since it sure as Hell wouldn't be her) were going to end up with the delinquent.  
  
"Pervert?" Ranma repeated in an amused tone. Behind him, Genma was frantically shaking his head no towards Akane, but she ignored him, and continued to stare defiantly at the young man, "Listen woman, you ain't even seen what I do perverted." Ranma came in close enough to whisper in Akane's ear, "But it ain't gonna take long, how 'bout we head up stairs and you show me how soft your bed is?"  
  
Akane's eyes went wide, and her face flushed with fury and something else. Kasumi and Nabiki knew what was coming up, and wondered exactly what Ranma said to her. With adrenaline enhanced rage, the youngest Tendou quickly picked up the table, and brought it towards Ranma's back as he was turned around.  
  
The unfortunate table didn't find it's intended target, instead meeting with some admirable resistance.  
  
"Oh, you WERE NOT about to hit me with a damn TABLE, BIATCH!!!!" Ranma growled, trying to go at Akane with the wooden baseball bat that did the table in. Fortunately for her, Ranma's father was making his best efforts to restrain his son.  
  
"THE TABLE IS THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS, YOU PERVERTED DELINQUENT!!!!" Akane shouted back, restrained by her own father and sisters.  
  
"AKANE! That is NOT the way to treat a guest!" Soun shouted, having to put his all to hold his daughter back.  
  
"Well, at least one of them has spunk," Genma stated, resignedly, "Spunk makes her cuter." Genma didn't even attempt to hold notions that his son even payed attention. 


	3. Why Dis Foo' gotta be Hat'n?

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
"My, you're up early today!" Kasumi stated, as she watched her sister walk into the kitchen with a brilliant smile on her face.  
  
"Good morning, Kasumi!" Nabiki almost chirped, as she passed by her sister, and pecked her on the cheek. Kasumi froze, and only turned her eyes sideways to follow her sister.  
  
"You're awefully cheerful this morning too, did you have a nice sleep?" the elder sister asked, visually checking her sister for any illnesses; possibly ones associated with delerium.  
  
"Oh, Ranma and I talked last night," Nabiki replied with a happy sigh.  
  
"Oh..." Kasumi gave in her own reply, while developing a headache from the warning klaxons flaring up in her head, "Am I to assume that, um, you're planning on honoring the engagement?"  
  
"I'm not against it," Nabiki giggled after answering her sister, "You know? There's just so much to him. He showed me a part of him that I haven't seen in any guy before. He's so willing to share his feelings with me, and he's such a sensitive guy."  
  
"Ah, that's good, then," Kasumi stated, calming down. In the back of her head though, she felt something was slightly amiss.  
  
"He went so deep, Sis. I don't think he's ever got to let anyone know him so intimately."  
  
"So, should I tell father that you are content with him?"  
  
Nabiki sighed again, not really paying attention to what Kasumi said, "I'm going to go take my bath, see you at breakfast!"  
__________________________________  
  
"Nabiki, are you okay?" Akane asked, watching her sister carefully.  
  
"Hmm?" Nabiki turned to her sister, cutting her pleasant humming short, "Never better, why you ask?"  
  
"Well, you were tossing and moaning all last night. You sure you're not coming down with something?"  
  
"I'm sorry, father," Kasumi apologised quickly. Soun stared through the hole created by his eldest daughters spit of tea that ripped right through it and settled onto his face.  
  
"Sup, Peeps?" Ranma shouted out, walking downstairs with his unconcious father in tow and wearing a black and yellow version of the outfit he wore last night. A massive lump on the elder Saotome's head was very prominant.  
  
"Hello Ranma," Nabiki greeted heartily, and barely managed to restrain herself from getting up and hugging the young man.  
  
Ranma raised his chin to her in greeting, and sat down at the table, while depositing his father off to the side.  
  
"Nabiki? Why you being so nice to this pervert?" Akane demanded, while throwing a baleful glare towards the ponytailed young man. Ranma just smirked, as Nabiki began to incessantly giggle, while Kasumi started to flush and became extremely flustered.  
  
"Oh, I think I forgot to set some plates out for Ranma and Mr. Saotome..."  
  
Akane looked around at her sisters, and then counted the settings, "But there's already six places set..." Kasumi didn't seem to hear her sister, as she briskly strode into the kitchen.  
  
"Ranma, what's with your father?" Soun asked, while looking through the hole in his paper  
  
"Had to convince him to let me sleep in," Ranma answered, "Yo, shit smells phat. Hurry up with the feed, chica!"  
  
"Well, it's a good thing you didn't sleep in too long," Soun replied, "you have school today, after all."  
  
"What? School? You just fucking around, right?" Ranma replied with a straight lipped tone.  
  
"No, and I would appreciate it if you didn't use such language in front of my girls and in my home," Soun returned, glaring dissapprovingly at the young man.  
  
"I'll give you something to appreciate you..."  
  
"RANMA..." Nabiki almost shouted, grabbing onto the young man's pantleg, "Can you walk with me to school, right now?"  
  
"Tha's cool, just let me get some eats and explain a few things to your Pops."  
  
"I'll buy you breakfast on the way!" Nabiki almost pleaded, trying to head off a very bad situation.  
  
"Nabiki, it's so nice to see you take an intrest in such a rough young man!" Soun whimpered, then began to cry. Ranma's ire was curbed at the sight of a grown man in tears.  
  
"Yo, what's up with him?"  
  
"Nothing, let's go!" Nabiki replied quickly, handed Ranma his schoolbag, and then dragged him out of the house. Akane glared at the two as they left. Nabiki was acting really weird, and she knew their perverted guest had something to do with it.  
__________________________________  
  
Ranma was grinning, as she strode through the gates of Furinkan High, with Nabiki leaning against him. Every girl and guy that had arrived stopped and stared at the presumed couple; their jaws beginning to become a bit raw from rubbing against the ground. Nabiki turned to Ranma and asked him to wait for her, and approached her associates.  
  
"Wow, who's the hunk?" One asked, eyeing up Ranma, as he looked curiously to the mass assembly of boys in sports gear who were watching the gates intently.  
  
"Yeah, he looks gorgeous, and those glasses make him look so mysterious!"  
  
"That's Ranma," Nabiki replied happily, "Isn't he cute?"  
  
"He's definately a fine! How'd you land him?"  
  
Nabiki refused to let the comment get to her, "He's staying with my family for a while. But enough about him, you have the bets set up already?"  
  
Ranma leaned towards a passing student, "Yo, what's with 'dem?"  
  
The student checked his watch, "Forty-two seconds, and you'll find out..."  
  
Sure enough, Ranma turned to hear something storming towards the school quickly in the distance, and as it approached, he could hear the mantra being repeated.  
  
"I hate boys, I hate boys, I hate boys, I HATE boys, I HATE BOYS, I *HATE* BOYS!!!"  
  
Like cannonblast, the unstoppable object collided into the mass of boys ; it's initial impact sending several of them flying into the air. Ranma watched with raised eyebrows, as he was able to make out Akane, taking out each of the boys, while they attempted futilely to subdue her.  
  
"Damn, she hard," Ranma whispered, impressed. Soon, The raven-haired girl was the only one left standing.  
  
"Honestly, every morning," Akane breathed, while tossing her hair.  
  
Ranma walked out to the girl, and then looked down at mass of incapacitated boys with a serious expression...  
  
And then fell down, laughing his ass off.  
  
"DAAAAYYYYYMMMMMM!!!! YOU GOT *LIT* THE FUCK *UP*!!!!" Ranma shouted, and continued his hysterical laughter. Akane's attention was drawn to him, and she recalled her earlier pledge.  
  
"You," Akane growled, "Just WHAT did you do to my sister?"  
  
Ranma immidiately sobered up, and shot to his feet, "Oh, shit. Check this, 'aight. First I told her to get on her hands and knees, and..." His recounting was cut off, as he quickly reached up to intercept a thrown object between his fingers, "What... the fuck?"  
  
"You there," commanded a pompous voice from behind a tree, "How dare you intercept what was meant for my beautious tigress?"  
  
"You, puta, I don't like having shit thown at me!" Ranma shot back, dropping the rose, and then grinding it into the ground with his foot.  
  
The newcomer from behind the tree didn't miss the action, and pulled his bokken to the fore and went into stance, "So, you would dare stand in the way of Akane's happiness?"  
  
Nabiki groaned, and shouted towards Ranma, "Ranma! Leave it alone! Let Akane handle it!"  
  
Ranma turned to a silently fuming Akane, "You dat'n this foo'?"  
  
"WHAT? NO WAY!!!"  
  
Ranma turned back to the kendoist, " She say she don't like yo ass."  
  
"Who are you to put sacreligious words into my fiery maiden's mouth?"  
  
"What? You think you can swing from these nuts?" Ranma challenged, pointing both his hands to his mid section.  
  
"I assure you, that I shall hang with the tenacity of the greatest of Samurai," the other young man replied, causing Ranma to step back in slight disgust, "Tell me knave, what is your name?"  
  
Before Ranma could state, he was cut off, "Wait, is it not customary for one to give his name first? Very well, my name is upperclassmen Kuno, Junior group E. Captain of the Kendo team, undefeated new star of the..."  
  
Ranma pulled out his glock mockup, and fired it into the air.  
  
At the loud bang, every student froze, and then ran, dove and covered, and/or screamed in terror.  
  
"Check it, I'm Ranma of the Anything Goes School of Whupass," Ranma tossed down his bag, "And I got big plate for you to fuck with..." 


	4. You think you can step to 'dis?

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
Everyone who was still in the schoolyard watched the scene from behind safety. Only Kuno and Ranma stood out in the open, mad dogging each other.  
  
"So, you deem yourself worthy of challenging the great Blue Thunder of Furinkan High?" Kuno questioned hautily.  
  
Ranma put up his mock gun, and threw his hands out to the side to show he was open, "So where you at, puta? Where you at?"  
  
"No doubt you reference me by a term clearly meant to address your superior, but I shall not show you any mercy for your irritance of the dear Akane Tendou."  
  
Ranma cocked his head to the side in amusement, "Well, snap, if you want the thug that bad, you need to work on your game, playa!"  
  
"THUG?!?" Akane cried out in clear from behind the tree Kuno had come from.  
  
"YOU DARE? I WILL NOT HAVE IT!" Kuno raged, and lunged after Ranma with a high vertical swipe. Ranma waited until the last second, and then dashed forward to meet his opponent head on. The pigtailed young man brought his right fist back, waaaayyyyyy back.....  
  
::WHAMP!!!!!::  
  
Kuno stood there, his head turned to the right with both his hands on his bokken held down towards the ground from his swing, "Nat in'nt nert," He said casually, before dropping like a sack of bricks. Ranma was hopping on his right foot, trying to regain his balance from the haymaker he delivered.   
  
All the students looked on with wide eyed surprise; only one word going through their unified minds...  
  
"DAAAAAAAAYYYYYMMMMMNNNNNNN!!!!!!!" Even Akane was thoroughly shocked out of her previous anger from the 'thug' comment.  
  
After he finally recovered, he turned to Kuno and shook his hand out once, as if shaking off some water, "And if you do get with the ho', remember everytime you kiss'n her you be tast'n my jock!"  
  
Akane stormed out from her hiding place, and threw Ranma's bag at him as hard as she could. Ranma caught the bag in the back of his head, and turned to glare at the girl, "What the FUCK is yo' problem?"  
  
"Get this straight, Kuno is NEVER going to kiss me, EVER!" Akane declared, and stormed off in a huff.  
  
"Damn, she an evil thug," Ranma rubbed the back of his head in irritation, while Nabiki tentatively approached her potential Fiancee.  
  
"Wow," was all she could say, as she looked down at the comatose Kendoist. All she had seen, along with the majority of audience, was Ranma blur right before Kuno struck him. And from the look of the junior classman, it was only with one blow too.   
  
A few of the male students became brave enough to come out into the open and check to see if Kuno was alright. Once they looked him over concernadly, they pointed their fingers and started snickering.  
  
"Is all butta," Ranma said casually, and put his arms around Nabiki. She jolted with slight surprise, but allowed herself to be lead into the school.  
______________________________________  
  
"Class, I would like you to give a warm welcome to our new student, Ranma Saotome,"  
  
"Yo," Ranma stated to his audience. Each one of them but Akane looked upon him in awe.  
  
"He recently returned from China, but that doesn't give him the permission to carry deadly and illegal weapons to school. Please go stand out in the hall until I give notice," the Teacher continued casually, as if not realizing just how much he had limited his life.  
  
"Say what?" Ranma turned to the teacher with a tight lipped and slight frown.  
  
"And remove your glasses, Mr. Saotome. They are not nessesary indoors."  
  
"You wanna see how nessisary they are?" Ranma turned fully towards the man, right before Akane rushed to the front and started to push Ranma away before he did anything rash... or convictable.  
  
"Um, teacher, it's not a real gun, and I'll be happy to explain class rules to Ranma... if you'd like," the raven-haired girl said nervously.  
  
"Very well," the teacher replied with a disapproving frown, and then dismissed both of them into the hall.  
  
Akane managed to drag Ranma out into the hall way, and then turned a baleful look towards her houseguest, "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I ain't doin' nutt'n, why you gotta be all up in my bidness?" Ranma snapped back, irritated with the girls interferance.  
  
"And I thought you were a martial artist? I mean the way you hit Kuno, there wasn't any technique at all!"  
  
Ranma's anger was traded for confusion, "Technique? Yo, I was just wanting to hit is ass, 's all."  
  
Akane groaned and rolled her eyes, "Look, I don't know where you came from, but around here we just can't act the way you do."  
  
"Why, someone gonna stop me?" Ranma challenged, folding his arms together.  
  
"I'll do it," Akane replied, her eyes narrowing in defiance.  
  
Ranma peered closer at Akane through his glasses with a scrutinizing expression on his mouth. Akane felt slightly nervous, and took a step back. After a few tense seconds, Ranma smiled, "Heh, you got some hard shit in you, I likes dat!"  
  
"Pardon me?" the girl's mouth grew tight, and her fists balled up.  
  
"Chill, chill, just say'n you're hard, s' all," Ranma said, trying to placate the girl, "No need to be gett'n all hostile."  
  
"Is that supposed to be some sort of compliment?"  
  
"Beli' dat, chica."  
  
"WHY CAN'T YOU SPEAK LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING?" Akane shouted, finally feeling her fustration overflow.  
  
"Ms. Tendou, apparently you would like to stay a while longer in the hall. I just request you do it while holding a couple of buckets of water, please." Akane turned to glare at Ranma, and then hung her head and took a deep breath. Ranma watched her with wry amusement, as she sulked back into the classroom to get the buckets.  
______________________________________  
  
"Uh, Ms. Tendou..." the Teacher started tentatively.  
  
"Huh?" Nabiki looked up, shaken out of her daydream.  
  
The instructor ignored the bright flush, the slight glowing smile, and slight heavy breathing that his student was experiencing, "I note that Kuno is still outside unconcious."  
  
Nabiki blinked, got out of her desk, walked to the window, and looked out, "Hmm, so he is..."  
  
"It's highly unusual for you to, um, tend to your classmate... in return for payment for services rendered."  
  
Nabiki stared for a sec, before realizing what he was saying, "Oh, you're wondering why I haven't dragged Kuno to the nurse's office?"  
  
"That would be one inquery of mine, yes. Perhaps you would like to be excused?"  
  
"Ah, I think he looks peaceful out there," Nabiki replied casually. The Teacher only nodded with slight confusion, and then started his lesson.  
______________________________________  
  
"This is all your fault, you know?" Akane growled, while shifting her weight to hold her buckets filled with water more comfortably. Ranma sat on the ground, and was bouncing a handball off the wall in front of him.  
  
"Huh? Whadd I do?"  
  
"Oh, don't act all innocent, you perverted delinquent! You got me in trouble on purpose!"  
  
"What you tripp'n on?" Ranma ceased his game of ball, and turned to Akane with a questioning expression.  
  
"Ever since you showed up, my sister's been acting weird, and you're driving me crazy! You're doing this all on purpose, I know it."  
  
"I'm haungrie, when's lunch?" Ranma asked, ignoring Akane's prior rant.  
  
"Huh? That's not for another few hours! And you just ate breakfast not too long ago!"  
  
"Na, your sister's stingy with her cash, didn't get much." Ranma stood up, and dusted off his windsuit, "I'm headn' out, you gonna bounce with me?"  
  
"What? Heading... But we still have the rest of school!" Akane dropped her buckets and briskly walked to catch up with Ranma before he got too far.  
______________________________________  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Nabiki stated, looking down on Kuno in the infirmary. His head was in a mouth brace to hold his jaw still until he could be taken to a hospital to have it wired shut. The middle Tendou sister had finally been convinced to pick up Kuno, and was glad she didn't decline. Seeing Kuno like this truly brightened her day even further than it had been. That's two good points towards Saotome in her book.  
  
Kuno stared at her irritably, and started writing on the notepad with the marker he was handed. Nabiki picked up the paper, and read it out loud, "'Tell me, what is it that you know of that foul plebean, Ranma Saotome'?" She sat the paper down and answered, "Well, he's staying at our place..."  
  
Kuno's eyes went wide, and he started to scribble on his pad. When he was done, he handed the paper roughly to Nabiki and attempted to sit up. Nabiki held him down firmly with one hand on his chest, and read the new note,"Oh? 'Under the same roof as my dear Akane Tendou? I won't allow it!' Well, Kuno-baby, there isn't much you can do about it, I'm afraid. What with you heading for an extensive hospital stay and all." Nabiki smirked at the blazing glare Kuno gave her, "But don't fret too much, I'm pretty sure the corrective surgery needed to reset your nose and jaw won't take too long. Before you know it, Akane'll be able to see your clueless face again." With that, Nabiki got up and started to walk out the door.  
  
Kuno growled as best he could, and began scribbling again. Once he was finished, he held the paper out for Nabiki to take.  
  
"Hmm, you say something Kuno?" the girl asked, only turning her head slightly towards Kuno. The boy in question growled louder, and thrust the paper out again.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't understand a word you're saying, later Kuno," Nabiki replied, innocently.  
  
Kuno shot to sitting up, "LOOK AT ME, YOU INSOLENT MERCENARY!!!!" Well, that's what he meant to say, instead it came out more like "LLOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"  
  
Nabiki finally turned around fully, and started to chuckle, as she watched Kuno writhe on the bed in pain. The nurse came out and shook her head.  
  
"Mr. Kuno, I told you that speaking would only worsen your condition! Now hold still while I attempt to realign your jaw."  
  
Nabiki walked from the room, taking immense satisfaction in the closed mouth screams originating from it. 


	5. Can't nutt'n hold me Down'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
"Comon Ranma, we have to get back to school!" Akane chided, trying to get the young man to see some reason."  
  
"Na, I'm head'n back to tha crib and chill fo' a while, cool?" Ranma replied as he strolled along.  
  
"But we're going to get in trouble!"  
  
"So? If you so worried, why you tagg'n?" Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Because I'm concerned!" Akane replied, as if the answer were readily apparent.  
  
Ranma tilted his head, and his mouth smiled while his glasses got a peculiar gleam, "Oh, yo den, you wanna hurry up back to your room so we can discuss yo' concern?" Before Akane could ask what he meant, Ranma felt something brush his feet. He blinked, and looked down.  
  
"Huh?" Akane stopped, and looked down, "Awww, what a cute little ca..."  
  
"RRRWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwww"  
  
Akane watched the adorable cat sail over the Nerima skyline, than turned to Ranma with more than a little hostility, "Why in the HELL did you do that for?"  
  
"Fuck'n little shits," Ranma spat, looking to where the cat dissappeared to, "Goddamn hate em!" He continued on his way, leaving Akane to stare horrified after him. It wasn't until he got a good distance away before she snapped back to reality.  
  
"HEY! YOU JERK! IT WAS JUST A HARMLESS KITTEN!" Fortunately, for Akane's sake, Ranma chose to ignore the other girl's ranting all the way home.  
________________________  
  
"AND ANOTHER THING..." Akane continued as they walked in the front door of the Tendou home.  
  
::SMACK!!!::  
  
"Girl, you gett'n too loud for yo' britches," Ranma said calmly, walking towards the kitchen. Akane's eyes stayed wide in shock, as the pulsing heat in her backside expanded from where Ranma's hand had met it. It would take her several moments before she absorbed the reality, and found a suitable punishment for such an affront.  
  
While she was busy processing divine retribution, Ranma was intercepted by a stern faced Soun, "So, I see you've decided on my youngest..." His expression changed to beaming, as he wrapped an arm around the young man, "And a good choice I might add! She can help you teach in the dojo!"  
  
Akane had finally decided on an appropriate punishment that would have Ranma sheepishly apologising after seeing the err of his ways; it just left the question of where Kasumi kept the the broken glass, and if Ranma could actually spread his legs that far, "RAAAANNNNNMMMMMAAAAAAAA....."  
  
::CLICK::  
  
It's amazing how the tell tale sign of a glock chambering a bullet can derail thoughts of justifyable vengance. Akane decided that her revenge will be slow but sure, as she rushed upstairs quickly to her room; most assuradly not to hide, not at all. Particularly hide under the bed, of course not.  
  
"N-now Tendou, Ol' pal..." Genma interjected, while holding Ranma's hand up, which caused the gun he was holding to be pointed straight into the air, "Ranma's in the prime of his youth, he has plenty of time to decide for himself!"  
  
"But Saotome.." the Tendou Patriarch began to argue.  
  
"He has *plenty* of time, doesn't he, Tendou ol' pal?" the stalky man interrupted in a tone that brooked no argument.  
  
"I'm haungry, Kasumi, what you got in thea?" Ranma easily shook his hand from Genma's grasp (not that Genma would be stupid enough to have it in a tight grip). Without waiting for a reply, the young man walked into the kitchen.  
  
Soun watched after the youth, and turned to his friend, "Genma, why is it that Ranma shows us no respect? What is it that you fear of him?"  
  
"Well, Tendou, I thought the gun would go a way to explain the second question," Genma replied wryly, "As for the second... it all started with the second biggest mistake I had ever made with Ranma's training..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Soun asked, motioning Genma back to the shogi board for them to converse.  
  
"Tendou, what do you know about the Cat Fist?"  
________________________  
  
"Yo, girl, lemme hollar at you for a bit," Ranma called out, as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
"I guess, but I hope you aren't too loud," Kasumi replied with a slight frown. Ranma paused for a bit, and then shrugged the reply off.  
  
"What you got to eat? Be starv'n, yo!"  
  
"Oh, well lunch won't be ready for another hour or so, would you like me to make something to tide you over until then?"  
  
"You good to a Nigga, you know that?" Ranma reclined, as Kasumi turned around to finish up the current preparations she was making for lunch. Her vegetable cutting slowed, and stopped. On intuition, she turned to see Ranma. Though his eyes were hidden behind is Oakleys, the way his head tilted made it apparent where his gaze was.  
  
"Um, Ranma, pardon me for enquiring, but are you staring at my behind?"  
  
"Word," Ranma replied, his view never changing, "You got some fine shit there. You mak'n my jock hungry to hit that!"  
  
"Um.. thank you... I suppose..." Kasumi replied, not quite sure how to take the, what she presumed was a compliment. Her hand wasn't as steady cutting the vegetables as it was before.  
________________________  
  
"Oooh, the shame!" a younger by ten years Genma Saotome replied, to think my son, afraid of measly cats!" Ranma stood in the corner, shivering fiercly at the mention of the four legged demons sent to drag his very soul to the coldest, most desolate recesses of Hell. He would have lost count of how many times he was thrown into 'the pit', what with his mind being brought to the brink of shattering irrepairibly. After all, Genma did.  
  
The older Saotome looked at his cowering son, and pushed his glasses further onto his nose. He could not have his son with such a damning weakness that enemies would quickly take advantage of, and his wife would most assuradly not find manly at all. Thus, he made a decision of what needed to be done.  
  
"Ranma," Genma said sternly, "If we take a lifetime, we will cure you of this pathetic fear of cats!  
________________________  
  
"So, you resolved to cure Ranma of his allurophobia that he developed from the Cat Fist training?" Soun reiterated.  
  
"That I did, Tendou," Genma affirmed, "We searched all of Japan for any techniques that would counter the side effects of the Cat Fist, and we began to despair. Before we gave up, I had caught wind of a style that made men so fearless, that their own self-preservation was meaningless before their ambitions."  
  
"It would truly be a remarkable form, if it would cure Ranma of his acute phobia that I he must have developed," the Tendou Patriarch replied, "I presume you found it?"  
  
"Indeed. Our search took us to Okinawa, to the American military occupational base..."  
********************  
  
"You are not authorized to enter the premesis." The gate guard stated firmly. Genma would not have had a problem taking him down for standing in the way of his ritious cause, but, well, he and the other guy had these scary looking guns...  
  
"Please, it's a matter of life and death that I find a man I was told would be here!" The stalky man pleaded, hoping to get the guard's sympathy at least.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot let you pass. If you give me the name of the person you are looking for, I'll ensure he or she gets word you are trying to contact them."  
  
"But I don't KNOW his name!" Genma replied, and gringed as the guard reached for his gun when the other man's voice raised.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot help you then, sir. Now I must ask you to leave."  
  
"But... but..."  
  
"This is not a request, sir." the flap on the gun holster came unbuttoned.  
  
"But you did ask! So it is..." Genma grabbed his son and ran, as soon as the sound of metal sliding from leather sounded.  
________________________  
  
At a unlit part of the surrounding fence, Genma and Ranma leapt over it, and quickly ran into the shadows cast by the light of the night lights and waning moon. Genma looked around to ensure no one had noticed them, and headed for the place he was told he could find the man he was looking for, the NCO club.  
  
The few people that were in at that time of night looked at the stalky man in the dirty white gi with a child no more than ten of age. The patrons knew they didn't belong, but decided they didn't care. The staff had their recriminations, but decided that they would descreetly call the base MPs and that there was no hurry to do so... yet.  
  
Genma asked several people in English a question that Ranma couldn't follow. A couple gave him weird looks, while some others ignored him. Finally, one pointed him to the direction of a black man with a black bandanna tied around his bicep, holding a shot of some amber liquid while listening to the rap that was playing in the slightly distorted speaker system... 


	6. Omake 1 Recapp'n and Assert'n

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
Omake 1  
  
  
  
Ranma steps out onto the stage, and clears his throat.  
  
  
"I claim total sovernty, my style's as powerful as can be. I got skills that shake you down like yo' ripe ass came from a tree. I got the Anything Goes Power that flows to make you cower, my invincibility blind'n all who see, keep'n me far in the lead.  
  
I got Akane on the attack, I need no one to watch my back. Forget what M-Flo said, I be the original Flo-Jack.   
  
Clock me, with a table, she ain't act'n stable. Like her sister Nabiki, I knock that shit easy. I got punks rid'n my jock, Kuno bein' at the top, but yo. I ain't sweat'n, I know your bett'n, the final outcome on me. Total domination have him bow'n on his knees.  
  
You can't approach this, my style is vicious, it'll tear you down. I am the master of all my circles, don't even clown. If you think you get it then you cool with me. You will'n we chill'n, like Ferrari our shit ain't shoddy. You act'n spotty, you gett'n ambitious, I don't wanna hear that noise. I'll bend you over and introduce you to your sister's toys. That means erotic, can't stop it, you scream'n my name. I just made you my bitch boy, but I don't like you tame. You ain't no Kasumi, I'm feel'n loony, I'll cap your ass dead. Double tap to the head, you got no hope from the meds.  
  
Get up nigga, you ain't as hard as me. You step to this I'll slam your ass lyrically. You step into this ring, there's nowhere else to go, and when you see that fist, it was Ranma's, to let you know.  
  
Peace"  
  
WFROSE: And we out.  
  
Ranma: I hea' dat, nigga. 


	7. Teach me how to be HARD'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
"I want you to teach my son your technique that rids men of their fear," Genma said simply to the large black man sitting at the bar of the Non-Commissioned Officer's club.  
  
The man leaned back, and looked at the Japanese martial artist, "So, you want me to teach your son to be Hard, 'zat it, B?"  
  
"Er, I believe it is," the balding martial artist replied, keeping eye contact with the man he knew as 'Anvil'.  
  
"Shit, G, I ain't in tha game no more," Anvil replied, while waving the bartender over for another round, "Can't do nutt'n for ya."  
  
"Please, I beg you, it's a matter of life and death!" Genma pleaded, almost dropping to his knees.  
  
"Look, I ain't click'n no more, ya hear? I said..."  
  
"I'm not asking you to take up the art once again," Genma said solomnly, "But it would be a shame to allow your style to die out because it isn't passed onto another of the next generation." Genma waved over to his son, who was looking curiously at the American women who were cooing over how adorable he was.  
  
Anvil looked at the man's son, and gave a slight smirk, "You want your kid that bad to be bang'n? 'Aight, hold up," the black man asked the bartender for a pen and paper, and started to write down an address and phone number, "Yo, you get to the U.S., go to L.A. and look this Nigga up, he'll hook you up, coo'?"  
  
Genma bowed deeply, "We are in your debt, great warrior."  
  
Anvil bobbed his head in reply, "Now get outta here, O.G., before the base MPs jump your ass or someth'n." Genma nodded back, grabbed his son, and left.  
  
*********************************  
  
"From there, we made our trip to the U.S., it was a grueling trek, but fortunately the seas had been calm for the most part..."  
  
"Saotome, you mean to tell me you *swam* the Pacific, all the way to America?" Soun asked incredulously with no small amount of respect to his training partner.  
  
"Yes, the life of a martial artist is fraught with hardships and peril," Genma stated solomnly, before a pack of flour connected with his head and exploded.  
  
"You fuck'n lying as Bitch," Ranma shouted from the kitchen, " Your ass nearly drowned before we even got close to Hawaii. Lucky your fool ass was spotted by that fishing boat!"  
  
"Oh Ranma," Kasumi's voice sounded from the kitchen, "now I will have to clean that up."  
  
"Oh, my bad, chica, my bad!"  
  
"Anyhow," continued a powder white Genma, "we finally arrived in Southern California to an intense training ground known as 'Long Beach'..."  
  
*********************************  
  
Genma looked around, and found the apartment number of the motel converted to apartment that he was looking for, and knocked.  
  
::CLICK::  
  
::KA-CLICK, CLICKCLICK, CLI-CLICK, CLICKCLICKCLICK, SHING, CLICK, KLACK...::  
  
Genma sweated from all the guns that were pointing out from the crack in the door. After swallowing to get some moisture back into his throat, Genma replied, "Uhhhhh, I believe we have the wrong number..." The large martial artist turned to his son and told him to start running, quickly.  
  
"But Pop, this is the house Anvil-san said we were supposed to go to," Ranma argued.  
  
The man behind the door heard the familiar name, "Ho-ho-hold up! You know Anvil?"  
  
"Uuuuuhhhhh, yes?" Genma asked, hoping the name would spare his life.  
  
"Oh SNAP! I hadn't Seen that nigga in ages!!!!" The door opened up to a short wirey man wearing a Black bandanna over his head with Oakley shades. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and baggy jeans that sagged so much they showed his boxers with the heart patterns on them, "What he up to anyway? Last I heard his ass got shipped out in the military or sumpth'n."  
  
"Yes, we met, and hold each other in high regard," Genma said with more confidence than before, particularly since he didn't foresee his life in much danger anymore, "I presume your the Higga, Herman Holloway..."  
  
::CLICK::  
  
"YO, I DON'T WANNA BE HEAR'N THAT NAME!!!" Higga shouted, while holding a gun barrel in Genma's left nostril. The gangsta then noticed Genma and his son's attire, "You guys do that Kung-fu shit?"  
  
"Uuuhhh, among others," Genma replied carefully.  
  
"Well, shit, yo, show me what you got!" Higga put his gun away and was grinning. Genma blinked, and walked out to the nearly empty parking lot. He and his son took opposing positions, and went into stance. With a cry of 'Yamete', both practitioners were airborne. Higga was startled to say the least, as both fighters traded blows in the air, before landing where the other began. With barely a pause, they both turned back around and once again went into fighting.  
  
"DAAAYYYYMMMMNNNN!!!! That's some fuck'n Kobe Bryant hang time shit right there!!!" He exclaimed exitedly, as the battle waged on. Once he had been thoroughly impressed and both fighters had gotten a decent workout, he congradulated them.  
  
"Shit, B, I gotta give my props! That was fucking tight! When you gonna show me how to do that shit?"  
  
Genma was about to speak otherwise, before he realized the position he had, "Hmm, Mr. Higga, perhaps we can help each other out..."  
  
"Oh, yo let's get to talk'n in my office, den. It ain't healthy for Ricey's to be hang'n outside in this hood..."  
*********************************  
  
"And that was the beginning of Ranma's training in the technique of the 'Hard'." Genma polished his glasses, before continuing, "He would train Ranma in how to rid himself of his fear, while the other free times I would teach him our art. It was a fair tradeoff, but alas, Ranma was having difficulty adapting to the Higga's unorthodox teaching style..."  
*********************************  
  
"Yo, little B, I keep tell'n ya, if you wanna live in the Ghetto, you gotta UNDERSTAND tha Ghetto!" Higga said, exasperatedly, "Less' do this again, now, what do you do when someone steps to yo' ass and rides ya like a bitch?"  
  
"I... tell him he better get to stepping?" Ranma replied, speaking the English he had picked up from his present instructor.  
  
"Word, and what you do when he keep's punk'n on ya?"  
  
"I bust a cap in his foo' ass?"  
  
"Oh snap! You already be'n a G!" Higga handed Ranma a gun, and continued, "Okay, yo, now go up to that bitch that was mad dog'n yo ass, and put him in his fuck'n place!"  
  
Ranma got an expression of determination, and took the gun. Genma walked up to his son's instructor, "Um, Mr. Higga, not to go against your wisdom of your school, but do you think it was wise to hand my son such a weapon?"  
  
"Oh, yo, don't sweat it, O.G., thing ain't loaded."  
  
"Y-y-you sent my son up against HIM with an unloaded gun?" Genma studdered incredulously, as he looked towards the large bald man who was bulging with muscles and concieled firearms.  
  
::BAMN!!!::  
  
"Heh, snap, handed Ranma the wrong gun..."  
*********************************  
  
"Fortunately, the bullet didn't kill, but we would not be around for when he awoke from his coma," Genma replied, calmly, "That was a marking point in Ranma's training, as it was his first victory with the technique, he started improving dramatically, until..."  
*********************************  
  
Ranma and his father were sparring to keep up the pigtailed boy's form. As usual, Genma was holding back enough to give his son an intense workout, but not enough to totally overwhelm him. The bald martial artist was beginning to frown, as he noticed his son becoming more fustrated and angrier the longer it went. He had trained his son intensely to use his emotions proficiently; to not let anger overtake you, but allow it to focus you. It was becoming apparent that he was going to have to show his son the folly of his ways. Genma stepped up his skill level a few notches to end it quickly...  
  
::CRACK!!!!::  
  
Both fighters landed, Ranma on his feet, Genma on his stomach. Ranma looked at the broken baseball bat in his hands in wonder, while Higga was whistling and clapping from the sidelines.  
  
"Oh SHIT! That was fucking HARD... UP!!!"  
*********************************  
  
"Breakthrough. From that moment on, Ranma had become an impressive force of the art, even I began to have sincere difficulty with him, even at such a young age..." Genma struck a traditional stoic Japanese pose of regret, "If I had known the side effects of Ranma's training, I would have ceased it all immidiately, but I did't realize until it was too late. Ranma started to question me often...  
*********************************  
  
"Yo, O.G. Sensei," Higga replied with a bow of respect to Genma, "I be honored to carry on the teachings of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial arts, and use my phat skillz to be help'n Niggas and ho's in destress, that coo'?"  
  
"You honor my school with your nobility and pledge," Genma responded with a bow just as deep. Higga stuck his hand out, and Genma grasped it to shake. They then switche the grip to locking fingertips together, and then simultaniously pulled each other in to ram their forearm into the other's chest, while patting the other on the back with their free hand."  
  
"You get goin', teach, you don't wanna miss yo plane and have to be swimm'n back, now."  
  
Ranma and Genma left, though Ranma had reservations, "Why we headn' back, Pops? We can stay and be liv'n large on tha thug life, yo!"  
  
"Ranma, though your training has been effective in improving your skill and ridding your fear of cats, we must continue to train further for your improvement. That would require us to return to Japan."  
  
"But yo, Pop, I can stomp your ass! And you the best there is there, right?"  
  
Genma was a bit shocked, and didn't know how to reply to that...  
*********************************  
  
"Eventually, he even began to disobey me, and grow contemptuous towards me as his sensei. Then, Ranma became out of control, and the results are what you have witnessed of my son."  
  
"Truly it is a dangerous technique to its bearer, I weep for your son," Soun said, solomnly. 


	8. Cause Pimp'n ain't EASAY'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
"Hmmm," Nabiki moaned, leaning her head back against Ranma's chest, "Sounds like you really did have an eventful venture in China."  
  
"True dat, true dat," the pigtailed young man replied, "But it's cool, dou'. Nigga be gett'n tired of roam'n, look'n to settle down with a shorty like you."  
  
Nabiki tilted her head up to Ranma with a goofy grin plastered on it, "What makes you so sure it's going to be with me?"  
  
Ranma smirked at her, "You know you tripp'n. We already act'n like we partna's!"  
  
Nabiki turned herself around to look Ranma fully in the eyes. She couldn't make them out behind his shades that he wore even during the night, but she did it nonetheless for effect, "So, you really want to commit to me? I mean, we just met each other, and..."  
  
Ranma shushed her by putting his index finger across her lips, "Yo, you listen up, It's *YOU*, it's all about you girl, and I'm all for that! There ain't nobody I want for the mother of my children, you hea' dat?"  
  
Nabiki looked at Ranma in awe, and before the tears could escape, she moved forward, and trapped his lips in a passionate kiss that took Ranma himself by surprise. His eyes went wide behind his glasses, as Nabiki's hand started to snake into his pants.  
  
"Yo, yo! Chill! Not tonight!" Ranma pulled himself from Nabiki, who looked back confused and with a pouting expression. Ranma gave her a smirk, "Hey now, we gots plenty of time, we take this slow, cool?" Nabiki begrudgingly nodded, and smiled up at him.  
  
"Okay, Ranma-chan."  
  
"Well, I'm gett'n my ass to sleep, I'll see ya in the morn'n, chica."  
  
Nabiki settled under her covers as Ranma was leaving the room. She decided she would have to say it if she wanted to get any sleep, "I.. love you Ranma."  
  
Ranma smiled at her, and then closed the door. Nabiki turned over with a brilliant smile on her face. True, she knew that things were just going by too fast, but she didn't care. Ranma showed that he cared for her, that was more than any other guy had even come close to other than her father. She never thought being wanted like that would ever make her feel so good; it didn't matter how long she knew Ranma, but he made her feel... complete.  
  
On that happy note, she went to sleep.  
______________________________  
  
Nabiki came downstairs with a bounce, and greeted her sister in the kitchen, "Hello Kasumi-chan! Isn't is a great morning?"  
  
Kasumi turned, and blinked, "Oh, good morning Nabiki, you're... unusually chipper this morning. I know how you usually dislike waking up."  
  
"I had such a wonderful sleep," Nabiki replied, "so I'm feeling great! When should breakfast be ready?"  
  
"Hmm, oh, in a few minutes. You may go ahead and sit down if you like." Nabiki nodded, and headed for the dining room where she saw Ranma sitting with a tired expression on his face.  
  
"Ranma! You look horrible!" Nabiki cooed, and quickly moved to sit next to him.  
  
"Is cool, jus' not feel'n hot, that's all."  
  
"I can see that," the middle Tendou sister stated with concern, "You sure you're okay to go to school?"  
  
"I can hang, don't worry 'bout me, 'aight?" About this time, Kasumi set out breakfast, and noted a couple people were missing. She already knew Akane was still taking a bath, despite taking one last night which had to be cut short so Ranma and Mr. Saotome could have their turn; and she really liked to soak...  
  
"Um, Ranma-kun? Where is your father?"  
  
"Stupid foo' tried to wake me up, and I didn't feel like dragging his heavy ass downstairs." Even behind the glasses, you could tell his eyes were almost drooped. Kasumi nodded, and finished setting out the food.  
  
"Morning," Akane stated from the hall, and calmly approached the dining table to eat. She then turned and noticed Nabiki's beaming grin, "Nabiki, something wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? Everything is definitely alright! In fact, I don't know how the world could have ever been as right as it is right now." the elder sister replied. Akane tilted her head in contemplation, then shrugged it off.  
  
"Shouldn't you be at school now?" Nabiki blinked, and checked her watch, "Oh shoot, you're right, can you make sure Ranma makes it for me? I can't wait for him to get ready."  
  
"Sure," Akane replied non-committedly. Ranma was apparently asleep at the table.  
______________________________  
  
Nabiki looked up from her circle of business associates when one of them pointed out Akane and Ranma heading towards the gates. Nabiki blinked, noticing that she didn't hear Akane's usual mantra before rushing headlong into the army of idiots. Even more surpising, she was still walking as she approached the gates.  
  
Akane walked ahead of Ranma, and strode forward into the slightly shocked mass of boys. The first one, a member of the boxing team, attempted a right punch, which Akane casually deflected into the face of a sumo fighter approaching from her blindside.   
  
"Stand here for me, please," she asked, as she calmly tugged a soccer player to the back of her, forcing him to intercept a baseball bat intended for her head. She kicked the unconcious soccer player into the baseball team member, and continued forward.  
  
The whole entire time, Akane seemed to calmly glide through her usual morning opponents as if she were simply walking through a field of tall grass, exept without as much effort. Many of the boys were smart enough to realize that this morning they probably should pull out of the battle, and most of the others were already unconcious or writhing in pain. The last one left was Kuno.  
  
"My dear Akane, how I stand in awe of you quiet ferocity in battle, and that I..." Akane simply looked at him as she walked by, took his bokken from him, and rapped him over the head with it; knocking him out. Once that was done, she tossed it onto him, and kept walking.  
  
Ranma strode by, and snorted at the unconcious kendoist, while everyone else in the yard stared in incredulous shock. Nabiki wasn't excluded.  
______________________________  
  
"Um, Akane?" One girl leaned over to question her friend while they were both in study hall, "um, is everything okay?"  
  
"Everything's fine," Akane replied, not looking up from her book.  
  
"O...kay, but how come you didn't cream the boys like you usually do this morning?"  
  
The raven haired girl shrugged. "I'm not concerned with those immature boys anymore, why waste my time with them?" Akane asked simply, still not looking up from her book.  
  
"Um... okay..." The girl looked sideways at Akane, wondering what brought such a massive change in her friend. She guessed she would have to ask Nabiki or something for the answers to that.  
______________________________  
  
"Are you feeling better, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, looking at Ranma sitting on the couch of the living room.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't sweat it," the pigtailed young man replied, keeping his eyes to old Japanese dubbed re-runs of 'Yo MTV Raps'.  
  
"Okay," Nabiki replied, a bit more relaxed. Then she tensed back up, "Um, Ranma...kun? Do you think tonight... well, can we...?" She let the request trail off, but its meaning wasn't lost on Ranma.  
  
"Ah, dunno, kinda still out of it, ya know?"  
  
"Well, I guess I understand," Nabiki replied timidly. If she had been aware of herself, she would have screamed bloody murder for the way she was acting.  
  
"Hey, hey! Now don't be gett'n greedy! It'll still be here for you tomorrow, cool?"  
  
Nabiki smiled, "O-okay Ranma. I'm sorry if I'm sounding too demanding." Ranma waved the apology off.  
  
As Nabiki walked off, Soun looked up from his game of Shogi with Genma, allowing the latter to strategically pro-emptively restructure the gamepieces in extra-fair play. The Tendou Patriarch studied his daughter intensely, and wondered at the dramatic change in her attitude. She was acting rather coy around Ranma. And though that was a good thing, he considered, it was a tad dramatic for her. He resolved to keep an eye out for Nabiki later on.  
  
Genma didn't say anything, but thought to himself that his son worked pretty damn fast.  
______________________________  
  
Nabiki tossed and turned in her sleep, finding rest hard to come by. She had managed to doze off for a bit, but then woke up after a dreamless slumber. She decided that seeing Ranma would probably help her get a good nights sleep; it worked so well last night, after all. The middle Tendou sister quietly got up out of bed, and crept out of her room to across the hall. She slid the paper door over softly, as not to wake anyone in the room, and found Ranma missing. Nabiki tilted her head, and then shrugged, assuming he went to the bathroom or something. With that thought, she closed the door, and went back into her room. If she still couldn't sleep, she'd check up on her future husband later.  
  
Kasumi's door opened, and Ranma quietly attempted to tiptoe out the door while adjusting his boxers more comfortably. A slender hand reached out the door, and pulled Ranma back by the front of his shirt. Kasumi leaned out and stole a long kiss from Ranma, and when he tried to pull away, snatched another small peck.  
  
"Yo, yo! Kasumi, keep this on the downlow, 'aight? We gotta keep this quiet!" 


	9. Who do you love, or are you for Show'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki came downstairs last, blinking at the sight of Akane calmy sipping on her tea, while Ranma himself was almost catatonic, "Um, Ranma-kun, you're not still sick, are you?"  
  
Akane looked up from her tea towards her sister, and then gave a puzzled glance towards Ranma. when she noticed his state, she merely smirked, and went back to sipping her hot beverage, "He should probably get more rest."  
  
"Oh?" Nabiki asked, curiously. Ranma woke up at the implied comment, and glared at Akane through his shades.  
  
"Good morning, everyone!" Kasumi chirped, as she strode into the dining room with breakfast. She individually served everyone, seeming to linger on Ranma for a few seconds longer than anyone. Ranma scooted back as Kasumi just slightly 'accidentally' brushed herself across Ranma's arm.  
  
Akane sighed, and started to eat, "Kasumi, you're shameless." Akane's eldest sister giggled in reply.  
  
"Um, did I miss something here?" Nabiki asked, slightly confused, and then blinked at the rather large serving that Kasumi had given him for breakfast. Genma eyed it with a slight whimper.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, don't worry about it, Nabiki-chan," Kasumi replied with slightly 'less' of her usual smile. Nabiki's eyes narrowed, and she turned her gaze to Ranma.  
  
Akane watched Nabiki out of the corner of her eye, while trying not to draw her sister's attention to herself. Ranma slowly ate, barely managing to garner enough energy to chew. Kasumi had noticed this, and quickly scampered off to the kitchen for something.  
  
"Kasumi's scampering," Nabiki said in an emotionless tone.  
  
Akane shrugged, "So she's happy." Akane didn't meet Nabiki's eyes, knowing she may have set Nabiki's suspicion further. The eldest Tendou Daughter came back in with a perfectly slow brewed coffee latte and placed it in fron of Ranma.  
  
"I hope it's okay to you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi said with a bit of apprehension.  
  
"Kasumi, when did you start learning to make lattes?" Nabiki asked, her voice becoming hard.  
  
"Oh, this morning, I thought Ranma would need it after..." Kasumi didn't get to finish, as Nabiki slammed her palms into the table, and left without excusing herself.  
  
"Yo, Kasumi, this got cinnemin in it?" Ranma asked, looking over his cup. Kasumi and Akane looked at each other nervously.  
_____________________________________  
  
In the mountains of Japan, a lone young man wandered, looking for Tokyo. He was hunting for the one who had made his life a Hell beyond anything he could possibly comprehend. He was lured by the heartless bastard into destroying his life, alienating his family and what few friends he had. He had experienced unbearable torment because of his query, and once he caught up to him, he just wouldn't know where to start when it came to paying the object of his intense hatred. There just wasn't anything remotely gratifying that he could think of; just ruining his happiness was too, too small a punishment.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, when I find you, even those of Hell will find reason to pity you..." Ryoga reached out to a treetrunk, a rather thick one at that, and gripped it with one hand. He crushed it as he tightened his hand, forcing the tree to fall.  
_____________________________________  
  
Hey, here she comes!" One boy shouted, holding his golf club in a menacing way. Every boy in the crowd braced themselves, and as soon as Akane appeared in the gate, they charged. Before they even were upon the youngest Tendou girl, they stopped, noticing her calm, uncaring stride towards them. It was almost as if they were now inconsequential, beneith her notice...  
  
As one, the crowd of boys realized that to attack Akane now was a total exercise in futility.  
  
They each bowed their heads, and parted to let her through. She didn't even acknowlege them as she went by. The boys kept the path open as Ranma himself passed through, giving random boys idle greetings. Their eyes turned to Ranma's retreating form; their glares blaming Ranma for the new Akane.  
  
Kuno remained 'braver' than the other boys, and stepped into Akane's path with his bokken drawn. The young woman ignored his rambling, and walked around him. The kendoist blinked, and turned towards his second challenge. Ranma wasn't able to walk around Kuno, as he kept stepping into his path.  
  
"I may allow the fair Akane such, but you..." He pressed the tip of his bokken against Ranma's chest, "will not be granted the privelege of ignoring this challenge."  
  
Ranma looked down at the bokken against his chest, and then back up to Kuno with his mouth in a thin, straight line...  
_____________________________________  
  
Nabiki seemed rather impressive today. Everyone in her class gave a wide birth to her so that they could stare at her in awe, in fact. The middle Tendou daughter calmly ignored the stares towards her, as she waited for the teacher to start class.  
  
"Teacher, do you intend to start anytime soon?" Her voice betrayed no emotion, as usual for her, and the instructer nodded slowly, and attempted to gain his bearings enough so that he could attempt to take roll call. Nabiki rolled her eyes, and pulled out her supplies for the class, and waited for her name to be called. Honestly, it was already ten minutes into class, she was pretty sure he had somewhat fouled up his lesson plans for that morning.  
  
Nabiki started writing the date for todays notes; the paper illuminated by the brilliant crimson battle aura that surrounded her like the all consuming flames of hell.  
_____________________________________  
  
School had been slow for Ranma today, and had to admit he enjoyed the laid back and quiet atmosphere; he hadn't been able to sleep like that in ages.  
  
"Hey, Akane, what's wrong with your sister?" The pigtailed young man perked, and turned towards Akane who was being hassled by classmates of Nabiki.  
  
"What do you mean, what's wrong with her?" Akane asked with a slightly nervous tone. Ranma turned towards where Nabiki was heading, and bound for the rooftops to catch up with her. It didn't take him long to find the highly vibrant homing beacon known as Nabiki Tendou.  
  
"Yo, chica, someth'n up?" Ranma asked, landing to perch on a wall near the calmly striding young woman.  
  
She turned to look at Ranma with a calm and non-chilant expression on her face, "Oh, nothing, Ranma, nothing at all."  
  
"Nu-uh, you gonna tell Papa Ranma what's up wit' you, and we ain't goin' anywhere till ya do," Ranma jumped down and landed in front of Nabiki, then folded his arms as he leaned against the wall.  
  
"I told you, it's nothing," Nabiki replied in an uncaring tone, as she attempted to walk around Ranma. The pigtailed young man wouldn't have any of it, and reached back and grabbed Nabiki by her shoulder, only to have her spin on him and slap his hand away with a furious expression.  
  
"Hey! What the Hell's wrong with you?"  
  
"Nothing..." Nabiki replied with heavy acid in her voice, "nothing exept the fact that my fiancee is FUCKING MY SISTERS!!!!"  
  
"Oh... snap..." Ranma took a step back as Nabiki's battle aura flared. It wasn't like any battle aura he had ever seen, as it moved like fire did around her, but its presence burnt like only the worst cold ever could. Ranma then suddenly began to nervously chuckle, "Oh, yo, actually that's a funny ass story I gotta tell you about that," He started, still chuckling, "Heh, oh shit, you're gonna laugh your ass off when I tell you what was up with that..."  
  
Nabiki stared at Ranma coldly, as he continued to chuckle, and point back towards where he left Akane, "Oh, man, I mean shit's funny as Hell when I tell you this, yo..."  
  
"Did you enjoy Kasumi?" The Tendou daughter growled in a low voice, "Did you tell her that you wanted her to have your baby too?"  
  
"Oh, snap no," Ranma replied with relief on his face, "I just told her that we were doing this for Hell of it." Ranma quickly realized by the exponential increase of Nabiki's aura that he may have said the wrong thing somewhere.  
  
"YOU WERE JUST USING MY SISTER LIKE YOU WERE USING ME?!?"  
  
Ranma's mouth became a straight line, "Hey, they didn't mind! They..."  
  
"So, Akane too?" Nabiki's voice returned to the calm tone she had maintained earlier, "Don't worry, Ranma, you can enjoy my sisters all you want..." She turned away from Ranma, and he again turned her back towards him. He wasn't finished with this discussion.  
  
"Hey, check this, this ain't about you and me..." He was cut off as his biggest weakness came into view, a girl's tears.  
  
"You're right," Nabiki said with a sob, "It's not about you and me, not anymore." As she ran off, Ranma growled, and took his fustration out on a nearby wall, just barely missing a eavesdropping Akane.  
  
"Ranma, you dumbass..." 


	10. I need a Girl

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
"Is.... something wrong with Nabiki?" Soun asked with trepidation. Akane looked at the ice trail that followed from the door to upstairs; most assuradly to Nabiki's room.  
  
"It seems that way." Akane started towards the kitchen, and cut her father off before he could speak, "No, it's not, Dad. Yes it has something to do with this morning, and yes we have plenty of tampons so we won't bleed all over the carpet again. And we haven't done that since I was ten."  
  
"Um, well," Soun studdered, "it pays to be sure about these things..." Akane sighed, and walked into the kitchen, where her sister was still floating on cloud nine.  
  
"Helllllooooo Akane, *giggle*, what do you think Ranma would like for dinner?"  
  
Akane grabbed her sister by the arm, "Kasumi, we need to talk..."  
_____________________________  
  
Nabiki finally came down for dinner, pointedly ignoring three people at the table. Kasumi's perpetual state of happiness that was thrown into overdrive had crashed viciously when she saw Nabiki's attitude, "Well, I guess she is rather upset..."  
  
"Nabiki, I know I haven't been much of a father to you," Soun started, the middle daughter turned a frigid, emotionless stare towards him, setting him off, and causing him to waterlog his meal.  
  
"Boy, say something, she may be your fiancee, after all," Genma urged, while Ranma was eating slowly and not looking up from his food.  
  
"Pops, I..." Ranma lifted his head to look towards Nabiki, and found her staring at him *hard*. A slight bit of emotion crossed his face, before years of practice allowed him to cover it back up. His glasses hid his eyes, "I ain't got nutt'n to say." With that, he got up and left for upstairs.  
  
"Um, would you like me to save the rest of your food, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked, before throwing a nervous glance towards Nabiki, "Oh dear."  
_____________________________  
  
Nabiki attempted to do her homework, but the damn papers were getting too blurry to read. In fustration, she turned, and threw her pen against the wall. How could she let a *GUY* get to her like this? She was Nabiki Tendou, she practically OWNED the school! She was notorious for business, and she kept her emotions controlled and detached from her ventures. So a boy managed to get to (and into) her; it wasn't like she shouldn't be able to shrug it off. Nabiki layed her head onto her arm, intent on keeping herself from breaking down; her sister (HA! The hypocrite) was right, all boys are perverts.  
  
Nabiki managed to pull herself together at the knock at the door, "Who is it."  
  
Akane and Kasumi winced at the cold in the voice of their sister, and then winced again as they opened the door to her room; coming into contact with the almost sub-arctic temperature. Nabiki saw who it was, and both girls swore that the room had become even colder. The middle Tendou sister turned back to her desk, and was about to start writing, when she noticed she didn't hold a pen.  
  
She casually pulled another one up from her cup full of writing utensils on her desk, and started again, "I'm busy."  
  
"Well, Nabiki-chan," Kasumi started, and gulped when Nabiki's tear-stained voice turned towards her with the same cold expression she had been receiving from the other girl.  
  
"Well, *what*... sister?" Kasumi bowed her head at the extremely formal tone and reference Nabiki used. Akane, seeing that her oldest sister probably wouldn't be able to handle it from this point on, stepped in.  
  
"We came to say... it was our fault, not Ranma's. And we're sorry."  
  
"Is that so?" Nabiki was back to writing, and slammed her pen into the desk. They needed to write these damn textbooks much more legibly.  
  
Akane wryly thought of how much this should have gauled her, not that it didn't right now; it was her sister's happiness that mattered at the moment. Especially since she had only done it out of curiosity; not even out of infatuation, "Um... yeah. You see, we, um, seduced him, and..."  
  
"You seduced Ranma." Neither Akane or Kasumi knew if it were an accusation or a reiterating question.  
  
"Yes," Akane replied meekly, "do you think you can... well..."  
  
"Forgive you?" Nabiki replied, still staring at her homework. Akane nodded, though Nabiki wasn't looking. Once again, Nabiki's battle aura flared to visible range.  
  
"Get out."  
  
Without hesitation, her sisters left the room. Emotionally drained, Nabiki dropped back onto her desk, no longer able to hold in the tears.  
_____________________________  
  
"You want me to go apologise," Ranma replied, while in the midst of one armed handstand pushups.  
  
"It would help Nabiki a lot," Kasumi replied in a pleading voice.  
  
"And this *is* all your fault," Akane replied, "Well, it's all our faults, but it's more yours."  
  
"We all share the blame, Akane," Kasumi cut in, "but I think it would mean the most coming from you, Ranma-kun."  
  
The pigtailed young man huffed, and flipped to standing, just before coming to sit in lotus position. He stared at the two girls through his dark shades with his mouth set in a straight line, "Why should I care?"  
  
Both Kasumi and Akane reeled back from Ranma's question with incredulous looks on their faces. "Ra-Ranma?" Kasumi weakly whispered.  
  
"You... bastard," Akane said in low growl, "Do you even care about anything?" Ranma tilted his head to the side, popping the nitrogen bubbles trapped in the joints of his spinal column in that area. He didn't give a reply.  
  
"Fine," Kasumi replied in a strangly serene voice, "If that is how you feel about matters..."  
  
"BUT KASUMI?!?" Kasumi cut her youngest sister off with a somber stare, and then directed her gaze back to Ranma; it transformed into an expression of utter contempt as it came to his view.  
  
"We can't convince him, Akane. Tonight would best be spent contemplating our own parts in this." With that, the eldest Tendou daughter left the room. Akane threw a baleful glare towards Ranma, and followed her sister.  
  
For the most part, Ranma did very well not to flinch.  
_____________________________  
  
"Hey, Nabiki, open up in there!"  
  
Of course, there was one more she had to confront tonight in order to make her misery complete. Perhaps after he left, she would have a sufficient amount of depression to slit her own throat, "Just... go away."  
  
Ranma found the door unlocked, and let himself in. He saw Nabiki's tear streaks, and quickly looked elsewhere, "Uh, sup..."  
  
"What do you want, Saotome-san?" Nabiki replied; herself turning away to look in a direction that didn't have Ranma in it.  
  
"You're sisters told me you upset about somethin'..." Ranma started, and ignored Nabiki's bitter bark of laughter."  
  
"Gee, I don't know where they got that impression, RANMA? MAYBE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEM SLEEPING WITH MY BOYFRIEND?!?"  
  
Ranma's head snapped back to Nabiki; even if she couldn't see his eyes, the raised eyebrows told her how surprised he was, "H-hold up, 'boyfriend'? Wait a sec, we only did it for fun, yo..."  
  
"GET OUT!!!!" Nabiki picked up her text book, and threw it as hard as she could at Ranma.  
  
The pigtailed young man merely swatted it out of the air with a forearm, "Look now, I don't know what the fuck is up with you..."  
  
"YOU GODS BE DAMNED, STUCK UP, SELF CENTERED, IMMATURE, BASTARD!!!" Nabiki screamed, throwing her desk lamp at him. The lap pulled the outlet cord taunt before it even reached Ranma, and fell to the ground while shattering the lightbulb inside.  
  
Ranma's mouth set itself in a straight line, "Chill with the throwing shit, 'aight? I'm try'n to set it straight, here."  
  
"I can't believe I LISTENED to you! Nabiki sobbed, standing up and approaching him. She raised her hands to shove Ranma's chest, "I fucking BELIEVED you!"  
  
Ranma's eyes widened in realization, "Hey, yo, I was just talk'n! I didn't know it meant that much to you!"  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter, anyway," Nabiki turned away, walked to her bed, and sat down, "Just... go... please."  
  
Ranma baulked at the pleading sob that was tacked to the end there. He turned away, "Yo, I... I'm sorry, really. I thought you knew I was just clown'n an' shit. I mean, a beautiful girl like you can't be serious about a nigga like me. But... for what its worth now, I think I woulda liked gett'n wit' you, really."  
  
"Wait," Nabiki commanded, just as Ranma put his hand on the door knob. She knew she didn't imagine it, but though his usual speech was the same, there was something missing from his voice. Something that would have made it less endearing to her.  
  
She got up off the bed, and approached Ranma, "So, you're really sorry about this?"  
  
"I just said it, didn't I?" Ranma replied in a low voice, never moving from his turned away position.  
  
"Nu-uh, this is going to take more than that," Nabiki stood directly behind Ranma, "Turn around..."  
  
Ranma didn't comply, "Look, if you don't want my apology..."  
  
"TURN... around." With a sigh, Ranma obeyed, and folded his arms in front of him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Take your glasses off."  
  
Ranma's expression went harder, "Why?  
  
"Take. The. Damn. Glasses. OFF."  
  
The pigtailed martial artist's face scrunched up, but he took his shades off. Nabiki chocked down a gasp at his slate gray eyes. It wasn't the beauty of them, it was the sheer amount of emotion that was dancing within them. A poker face, he did not have.  
  
With a mirthless chuckle, Nabiki spoke again, "You know? This is the first time I've ever actually seen your eyes."  
  
"Is that all you wanted?" Ranma asked harshly. The middle Tendou sister saw his eyes 'flinch', where the rest of him did not at the comment.  
  
"No, you're going to prove to me exactly *how* sorry you are about this," Nabiki growled, staring him in the eyes, "by, for one, starving this hungry dick of yours!"  
  
Ranma stifled an 'eep' when she grabbed down there firmly. He quickly put his glasses back on, and had them roughly jerked from his face by Nabiki, and tossed onto her bed.  
  
"No, don't think you're escaping this, Ranma. Starting tonight, your... ass... is.... MINE!" Ranma quickly nodded, holding his own building fury at bay. It wouldn't do to get pissed at a girl who had your nuts in a vice grip. The cold fire in her eyes also told him she would quite quickly take advantage of her situation.  
  
He had to admit, he kinda liked that.  
_____________________________  
  
Akane and Kasumi sighed, and pulled away from the door. "Well," Akane started, I'll miss it."  
  
Kasumi nodded absently, "You want to go with me into Tokyo, Saturday?"  
  
"Hmm? What for?" Akane asked with a curious lilt.  
  
"Well, a friend of mine from highschool was telling me about this one place. They... do custom mold jobs..."  
  
"Molds, for what?" Akane's mouth went into a surprised 'o' at Kasumi's jesture, "Um, will they even make them that big?"  
  
Just then, the two fathers returned from their binge drinking. Actually, Soun was binging, Genma was completely sober. Both girls met their fathers downstairs to greet them.  
  
"Um, Saotome-san, I guess you aren't much of a drinker?" Kasumi asked.  
  
"No, no, it's not that. I just wanted to make sure that I kept your father occupied in case, as Ranma would put it, all the drama wasn't taken care of."   
  
Both Akane and Kasumi stepped back with shocked expressions. "You... y-you knew?" Akane studdered under the large martial artist's gaze.  
  
Genma put a finger to his mouth, "We'll 'keep this on the downlow'." With that, he gave the girls a knowing smirk. 


	11. Ryoga play'n tha Role'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, isn't that the new guy, Ranma?"  
  
"What's he doing walking with Nabiki?"  
  
"I heard he was supposed to be her fiancee."  
  
"But he was always walking with Akane, that's wierd..."  
  
Ranma walked behind his fiancee, seemingly oblivious to the murmurings around him. Truthfully, he was doing his ample best to hide the nervousness that was brought on by the girl in front of him. Being shaken up was something he wasn't accustomed to, but something about her was off-setting his usual reaction to situations that managed to get to him. Far more fustrated than he was letting on, he contemplated on the possible reasons why Nabiki would still even care about him. Sure, they had fun and all that night, but he didn't expect her to fly off the hook like that. Hell, she was the first girl that wasn't crazy as hell that even had shown any possesive intrest in him; not that any girl could hold him down, of course. He wasn't goin' domestic or any shit like that, he was just letting the girl chill. Wasn't like she had a him in her throes.  
  
"Ranma..."  
  
"Sup?" The pigtailed young man quickly responded; coming to an immidiate stop before he toppled over Nabiki.  
  
The Middle Tendou sister didn't even turn to regard him, "I expect to see you two minutes after the final bell rings, is that clear?"  
  
Ranma decided he wasn't going to let her get away with this, "What? You gonna bust my balls over one little mistake like this?"  
  
Everyone Nabiki was facing could see her eye rapidly twitch, "*One*... little... mistake?" She did an admirable job of keeping her voice from dripping acid onto the concrete walkway.  
  
Ranma tossed his head to the side, popping the joints in his neck, "'Aight... two little mistakes, but I thought we over that now..."  
  
"I see, so you believe because you said you were sorry for...." Nabiki took a deep breath, and curved her volume before she said anything that would cause... problems for her at school, "You're faaaarrrrrr from through with this, Ranma."  
  
"What, so you hold'n a grudge? Damn you're a petty bi-" Nabiki sharply turned around before he could finish.  
  
"Dont. Go. There." Ranma attempted to look intimidating down towards Nabiki, but she didn't even need to remove the glasses this time to know how much of an act it was. The girl sharply turned away from Ranma, "Two minutes." Before the point could be argued, Akane walked behind him, snickering at his expense.  
  
"Shuddup," Ranma mumbled, before taking a step away.  
  
"Sorry, sorry," Akane replied, calming herself, before noticing something missing, "Hey, where's Kuno?"  
  
"Splinters," Ranma replied casually, walking into the school.  
  
"Splinters?"  
  
"Yeah, the kind the puta would haveta have a proctologist work at..." Akane decided not to ask, since the image she already had was too damn hilarious.  
________________________________  
  
"Well, aren't you going to go out and meet him?" one girl asked Nabiki, as they looked out the window and watched Ranma standing impatiently, waiting for Nabiki herself.  
  
The middle Tendou sister tilted her head to the side, "Eventually."  
  
"Uh, eventually?"  
  
"I don't feel sufficiently vindicated yet." Nabiki replied, checking her watch; seven minutes since the bell rung.  
  
"Um, what did he do?"  
  
"My sisters," Nabiki wasn't really paying attention to what she said.  
  
"What about your sisters?" the girl asked, eyeing Nabiki curiously. The preoccupied girl realized her slip. She turned away, not noticing that Ranma was about to leave.  
  
"Don't worry about it, he just managed to upset Kasumi, that's all."  
  
"Huh? I didn't think that was possib-" A loud thundering sound cut the girl off.  
________________________________  
  
Ranma grumbled, and looked up towards the clock tower, seven minutes since the bell got out. He knew she was just being petty, and he should have just walked. Fuck her if she was gonna attempt to play him like this; he was Ranma Saotome. Ain't NO girl gonna be mak'n him sweat tha twat!  
  
"Bump this, I'm outtie.." Ranma turned to leave, when a sound caught his attention, "What the fu..."  
  
He deftly leapt away, right as the area he was standing in became point of impact for an angry bomb. Before Ranma could even round on whatever attempted to smash him, from the crater and dust emerged a furious looking guy his age, swinging an umbrella wildly at him. Ranma quickly jumped away, and quickly brought his baseball bat to guard. As the two weapons collided, Ranma rolled around, pulled his gun, and aimed it straight at the head of his attacker; finding a gun aimed right at his head in return.  
  
"Ranma Saotome," the other young man seethed, "you... are... dead..."  
  
"What the FUCK is your beef, nigga?" Ranma asked, his finger twitching on the trigger of his glock.  
  
"You ruined my life, TOTALLY! Don't think you can cop an attitude with me!"  
  
"Shit, you acting like I killed your damn dog or something!" Ranma replied, smirking a bit.  
  
"You almost did."  
  
Ranma blinked at the reply, before his eyes went wide in surprise, "Oh... oh SNAP! Ryoga! RYOGA HIBIKI! Sup! It's beena... minute..." Ranma seemed to recall the fact that his associate had a gun trained on his face.  
  
"DON'T EVEN ACT LIKE WE'RE FRIENDS!!! I AM NOT YOUR KAMI BE DAMNED FRIEND!!! BECAUSE OF YOU, I'VE SEEN HELL!!!" Ryoga all but exploded at Ranma, and the pigtailed martial artist seemed to be confused with the response.  
  
"Say wha? What did I do to you? I helped your ass out!"  
  
Ryoga barked with a mirthless laugh, "*Your* help is what caused all my problems. I went everywhere looking for you because of what you did. Had to make some deals to stay on your trail that you're ass is going to pay for, even went to China tailing your ass..."  
  
"China... oh Dawg, you end up at Jusenkyo? Now you can't blame me for that shit, I..."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Ryoga forced himself to calm down, and then eyed Ranma balefully, "Anyway, I'm here to be your executioner..."  
  
"What? With this toy?" Ranma asked, before noticing Ryoga's shoulder, just peaking out of his tunic. It was black, stained black, as in tattooed. A stylized tattoo that would probably run all over his shoulder, a good portion of his back, and maybe in the front. A tattoo that told Ranma he had found a whole world of shit facing off against him. Behind his glasses, Ranma realized...  
  
Ryoga wasn't holding a toy.  
  
"SHIT!" Ranma shouted, moving faster than Ryoga could react. Ranma quickly parried Ryoga's wrist upwards, causing him to fire his gun into the sky. Everyone in the schoolyard jolted in shock, before somebody shouted.  
  
"GEDDOWN, GEDDOWN!!!"  
  
Everyone either decided to follow Akane's shout, or started to run. Amongst them, Ranma and Ryoga were wrestling each other to keep their weapons from being pointed at one another. Ranma managed to wretch Ryoga's wrist, causing him to drop his gun, which allowed Ryoga to bring his umbrella and slam it into Ranma's left ribs.  
  
Expecting it, Ranma rolled to the side with the blow, wondering what the hell it was made of, and lashed out in a foot sweep. Ryoga jumped back, and Ranma gave an internal sigh that Ryoga didn't go for his gun again. Ranma picked up his baseball bat, and swung it at Ryoga. The bandanna clad boy swung his umbrella to counter, and the umbrella won, hands down.  
  
"Fuckin' cheap ass piece of shit!" Ranma cursed, quickly pulling away from Ryoga's return swing. The pigtailed martial artist was put off balance from the hasty evade, allowing Ryoga a pretty clean shot. wanting to finish Ranma beyond a shadow of a doubt, Ryoga stabbed at Ranma's face with his weapon.  
  
"RANMA!" Nabiki cried out in sheer concern, and was quickly pulled back into the building by two other girls.  
  
"Quiet! That guy's got a GUN!"  
  
"Yeah, you draw attention to yourself, he may shoot you instead of Ranma!"  
  
"Shoot... Ranma?" Nabiki paled at the idea.  
  
Ranma rolled away as fast as possible, and shot to his feet. With his left hand, he rubbed his cheek, wiping the blood from the deep scratch that he got from the edge of Ryoga's weapon. He examined his hand, and smirked. Ryoga brought it to bare again, watching Ranma cautiously this time; waiting for the pigtailed fighter to make the next move.  
  
"You better fuck'n feel fortunate you didn't fuck up my glasses," Ranma replied with a ice cool voice tainted with mirth and disconcern, "Looks like I'm gonna have to get stupid with this, now..." 


	12. Omake 2 Let Kasumi show you how it's don...

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
Omake 2  
  
  
  
"Um, Ranma, do you think this is wise..."  
  
The pigtailed martial artist nodded, "It's cool, yo. Just get out there and rhyme a bit, that's all you have to do.  
  
"But I'm not sure I'd be very good at it..."  
  
"Don't worry Kasumi," WFROSE said, "It's just for the novelty of it."  
  
"Okay... if... if you say so."  
  
"Now that's a souljah! Now let's hear your flow!"  
  
Kasumi walks out on stage....  
  
"Um, well I'm Kasumi, and... um, Ranma wanted me to, well, start rhyming.  
  
Kasumi looks off stage to Ranma. "Good, good, keep going"  
  
"Oh my, I have to admit this all is rather frightning." Looks offstage again for approval, "But... I'm trying, because Ranma-kun is giving me his faith. Umm..."  
  
"I'm a slave..." Ranma gave a stage whisper on where she could go next.  
  
"I'm a slave..." Kasumi paused, "Oh my, I'm not sure I like that..."  
  
"Just run with it, 'kay, Kasumi?" WFROSE said with a sigh. The novelty was quickly wearing thin.  
  
"I'm a slave..." Kasumi started again, "My mouth is... running me, releasing words like a full moon over ocean waves..."  
  
"Not bad, not bad..." Ranma commented, his mouth starting to form its own frown.  
  
"Oh my, this is rather fun," Kasumi giggled, "lyrics are pouring out like a river on the run. I can do this, umm, how much longer until I'm done?"  
  
"Just keep going, Kasumi..." WFROSE encouraged, knowing he'll regret it.  
  
Kasumi's face became emboldened, "I'm guessing, you never thought I would be up here flipping,"  
  
WFROSE and Ranma looked at each other, and replied at the same time, "Flipping?"  
  
"Without no lessons, I'm slinging verbs with precision. That is my mission, to flow like no man before. You're like 'Is this Kasumi? The girl we all love and adore'?"  
  
WFROSE blinked, "That... was actually kinda tight..."  
  
"I know I'm sweet, acting timid just like a doe, but if you messing in my house you better slow your role. This isn't for show, I know just what I'm saying. Don't cross me, I'll show you just where your technique lies; between dismal and sloppy. This isn't a copy, my lyrics are completely original. So swallow your gall, don't even think you can follow. My words are dangerous, you better give up on figuring you can trace this. They lock you down, break you up, and shatter all six of your senses. On the count of three, think you can repeat after me? Say 'Kasumi got the skills', and smile as you say it, please."   
  
My ability's like the ocean, keeping all in motion. Bottle it like a potion, that's how you'll get the most in of what I plan on selling, without raising my voice I'm yelling. You're listening to what I'm telling, Kasumi's got her own thing. It's evil like in Hellsing. Spread it around in a mass mailing, with this Tendou, there ain't no failing. Look at you, paising and hailing. On your knees like I'm a godling. As my subjects you all are bonding, running quick like it a net ping, to me, a feat that just is not mean."  
  
Kasumi took a deep breath, "I'm invincible, incredible, my potential's fully credible. Like a Ninja, I'll go invisible, and my presence is still indismissable, I'm routing you just like CISCO, all my opponents are a no-show, you're stepping back like it's gonna blow. You're complete subjection is my only goal. Believe in me, I'll only grow, like a mighty oak from the forest floor. Your sobbing, begging me for more. My power going down in lore, I cower you without a roar. I'm representing with the whole galore. I think I need to say no more. Get off your knees, I'm done, you whore..."  
  
Kasumi giggled, and then walked off of stage. WFROSE swallowed, to wet his throat before speaking, "Uh, Ranma?"  
  
"..." Was the pigtailed martial artist's reply.  
  
"She just schooled you...."  
  
"Shaddup."  
  
"Schooled you... hard."  
  
"SHADDUP!" 


	13. We Ain't Front'n no mo'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
Part 11  
'We ain't Front'n No Mo'  
  
  
  
"'Aight, you got my attention now," Ranma stated with a cocky smirk under his glasses, "You really ready to do this?"  
  
  
"Good, I believe this means you'll stand still while I rip you limb from limb with my bare hands?" Ryoga seethed with a piercing glare towards his rival, "I guess you're not as much of a cowardly bastard as you make yourself out to be." He blinked, as well as everyone else witnessing this battle, when Ranma seemed to 'suddenly' appear in Ryoga's face.  
  
"Word."  
  
Before Ryoga's umbrella could even clatter to the ground, Ranma was in the air, descending towards the position where Ryoga's skidding body would stop. Ryoga rolled out of the way just before Ranma's stomp created a crater in the ground. The bandanna clad young man lashed out with a foot sweep that Ranma leapt over, and towards Ryoga in order to pin him to the ground. Ryoga rolled onto his back and lashed out with a rising kick in which Ranma twisted out of the way just in time to avoid getting his jaw dislocated, and jumped back. Ryoga used the momentum from his kick to roll back and to his feet.  
  
As soon as he was braced, Ryoga leapt at Ranma with a dashing punch. Ranma danced out of the way to his left, and lashed at Ryoga face with a hard left jab. Ryoga ducked to the outside of the punch, and retaliated with a rising left crescent kick. Ranma weaved back to the right under Ryoga's kick, and threw two jabs against Ryoga's face, staggering him.  
  
Ryoga spun away before Ranma could follow up hard right cross, attempting to land a spinning right backfist against his opponent. Ranma pulled his right arm up into a guard, and didn't anticipate the power of Ryoga's blow, as he was sent staggering to the side. The Yakuza fighter then lashed out with a right thrust kick, which Ranma parried with both his hands, intercepting it and pushing it down to the ground. Ranma had robbed the momentum from Ryoga's kick, and used it into his leaping spin to his right. Ranma put a great deal of power into the attack, and even though Ryoga brought up a cross arm guard and braced for the impact, he was still sent sliding five meters away.  
  
Both Nabiki and Akane, along with the rest of the remaining students of Furinkan, looked upon the initial start of the fight in awe. Both Ranma and Ryoga were showing skill that had been previously unparalleled in any public display in Nerima.  
  
"Whoa, he was definitely holding back on you, Sis," Nabiki whispered in hushed awe. She only recieved a slow nod from Akane in responce. She currently wasn't too proud to admit that she couldn't stand up to that.  
  
Ranma landed with both hands planted on the ground in front of him, while his right let was extended out to the side of him and his left leg tucked under him, "Props, props, yo!"  
  
Ryoga snorted, "You sound like a damn idiot, you know that? And I've had bitches sack me harder than your fucking weak hits!"  
  
"What the FUCK you smoking?" Ranma asked, "I fucking nearly broke your arms with that kick, nigga!"  
  
"Heh, pure bullshit. Your girl must be rubbing off on you, because you hit AND act like a whining Pussy!"  
  
Ranma's smirk dropped like a rock down a hyper gravity well, "Wazzat again?"  
  
"What? I hit a nerve with the little cunt?" Ryoga asked snidely, "I'll tell you what, you can suck me off, that is after I'm finished slamming your loose ass all over the place!" Ryoga probably shouldn't have closed his eyes to laugh, or laughed, or even started the fight to begin with.  
  
"YOU. DONE. NOW. *FUCKED*. UP!" Ranma shouted, puncuating every work with heavier blows than he was using prior. The final one sent Ryoga skyrocketing into the sky. Ranma raced to where Ryoga was heading to find a fence in his way, he quickly ran up it, and launched himself into the air to meet Ryoga, "GET BACK HERE, BITCH, I'M NOT THROUGH TEARING YOUR ASS UP!"  
  
Nabiki flinched at each blow Ranma delivered, and stared in both shock and relief when he sent the other boy flying into the sky. her relief was short lived, when she saw Ranma follow. "Nabiki! Come on, or we'll miss this!" Akane shouted, waiting for her sister to snap out of her trance. Nabiki quickly brought herself back to reality, but could not hide the concerned expression on her face.  
  
Ryoga flipped himself right side up, and met Ranma in mid-air combat. They both fiercely traded blows as they were descending, and Ranma caught the location of where they both were about to land, "Oh, dayamn..." Ryoga looked down when Ranma paused, and shrugged uncaringly.  
  
Concrete and water were sent flying about, with a red headed young woman rolling out from the destroyed fountain. She searched for any sign of her opponent, and turned back to the fountain just in time to have Ryoga leap out of it with a fierce descending punch. Ranma had leapt out of the way, and was about to retaliate, but not before...  
  
"Whoops! Sorry cutie! I didn't mean to startle you like that." Ranma blinked, as she found Ryoga's arm around her shoulder, with him leaning against her with a friendly smile, "You see, I was actually attempting to punish this bastard for what he did to me, and the damn coward left you in his place. Name's Ryoga, Ryoga Hibiki, yours?"  
  
Ranma slowly pulled Ryoga's arm off her, and gently wrenched it into an arm lock, "Ranma, Ranma Saotome, you fucking dick."  
  
Ryoga's eyes went wide, realizing that 'she' was wearing the same clothes around that hot ass body of hers that his hated nemesis did, along with the same dark shades. The poetic irony of his comment was realized to him, when he considered Jusenkyo, "Ra-Ranma... you're...*snicker*."  
  
Ranma snarled, and wrenched Ryoga's arm tighter, "Yeah, go ahead and laugh your ass off. You're gonna miss it when I'm done with you."  
  
"Oh yeah, we're in the middle of a fight," Ryoga began to recall as an after-thought, before using his own might over Ranma's girl form to reverse the arm bar, "I think I'm gonna have a little fun with this body of yours, before I put you out of my misery."  
  
Suddenly, Ranma's battle aura went visible into a chaotic pattern of black and red that left her seeming so much more menacing than Ranma had ever been before, "Let. go. of. me."  
  
Ryoga ignored the obvious warning of extreme danger, "What's that, you little cunt? 'Let's Go'? I bet you're all wet for me already!" Ryoga chuckled, and was fortunate enough to pull his head back from having it blown off by a glock.  
  
Ryoga skipped back, suddenly weary of the redhead. Ranma spun around towards Ryoga, with *two* guns trained on him, and opened fire. Ryoga danced out of the way, allowing the bullets to leave black and red flashes as they connected with whatever stopped them.  
  
"YOU'RE DEAD, YOU HEAR THAT, HIBIKI? YOUR FUCKING ASS IS DEAD!" Ranma-chan shouted while totally enraged, as she continued firing with intent to kill.  
  
"RANMA!" The redhead paused, as a great deal of her anger collapsed under the stress in Nabiki's voice.  
  
"Nabiki?" Ranma almost whispered, turning back to see the girl nearly in tears, with her younger sister standing beside her looking at Ranma with a concerned by fearful look. Ranma suddenly looked down at the two guns that were in her handss, and whispered to herself, "Oh, damn." With a deep breath, she willed them away.  
  
"AN OPENING!" Ryoga shouted, suddenly ripping off several bandannas from his forehead, and launching them at Ranma.  
  
"LOOK OUT!" Someone in the crowd shouted, just in time for the redhead to turn, and dodge out of the way of the barrage. Unfortunately, Nabiki didn't do the same, as she was frozen to the spot, staring at oncoming danger.  
  
"NABIKI! GET DOWN!" Akane shouted, pushing her sister out of the way. Akane didn't 'fully' make it out of the way, herself, unfortunately.  
  
Ranma was already on Ryoga with a kick to the stomach, and a follow up uppercut, puncuated with a baseball bat, that sent Ryoga back into the friendly skies once again, before turning back to Nabiki and Akane, "Yo, Nabiki! You alright? speak to me!"  
  
Nabiki could only stare at her sister in shock, while Akane was too concerned with Nabiki's welfare to realize that she was staring at her for a reason, "Nabiki? Say something!"  
  
"A-A-Ak..." was all she could get out, as she pointed to Akane's head.  
  
"What? My makeup smeared? Really, you almost get yourself hurt, and you're worried about my appearance!" Akane said with an incredulous tone.  
  
"I think she's talking about this..." Ranma held up what hadn't managed to escape Ryoga's bandanna barrage for Akane's inspection. Slowly, Akane reached to the back of her head, and felt something missing.  
  
Ranma herself had to admire the aura Akane was building, after her initial shock had worn off.  
____________________________  
  
Ryoga descended right through the roof of a public bath house, causing the few occupants it had inside to scurry in fear. Out of one of the larger hot tubs, Ryoga crawled out, shivering. He was pale, with bags under his eyes, and looked extremely worse for wear. With a pronounced stagger, Ryoga stumbled out of the bath house, bracing himself shakily against any supports he came by. On his lips, he mumbled the mantra, "Ranma.... need.... to find Ranma..." 


	14. This is Serious, yo'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
"You're not upset about that?" Nabiki asked with a concerned expression... concerned for her sister.  
  
Ranma continued searching the school grounds, until he found what he was looking for. He replied after a few moments, albeit slightly distracted, "Told ya, it's cool. She was just look'n to vent, no skin off my ass."  
  
"So you're not gonna gun my sister down?" Nabiki asked with a hopeful tone.  
  
"Huh?" Ranma put the object into his pocket, and turned towards Nabiki. Even with his glasses on, Nabiki could see a puzzled expression on his face.  
  
"Well, as long as you're not really mad at her," Nabiki stated with some relief, "but let's get back home so I can take a look at your cheek and put some ice on it, I don't want my man wearing the mark of another woman."  
  
"Yo, you head on out and I'll meet up with ya in a minnit. I gotta take care of some shit, kay?" At that, Ranma walked off the school grounds, leaving Nabiki to stare behind him, now wearing her own puzzled expression.  
_____________________  
  
"Kasumi?"  
  
The elder Tendou sister sighed, as she looked at the spilled meal on the floor, and then turned her concerned expression back to her youngest sister, "Akane-chan, your hair..."  
  
"Um, just a little accident at school, that's all. Do you think you can even it out for me? I think it's time for a change, anyway."  
  
But... but you've been growing it out for so long!"  
  
"Yeah, but..." Akane thought about how her crush on Tofu wasn't really there anymore after... Ranma, "I think shorter hair will make me look more mature."  
  
"Um, if you're okay with it, Akane-chan..." Kasumi replied with a slightly unnerved tone.  
  
"Not much we can do about it, now," Akane replied nonchilantly, and then handed her sister a pair of scissors.  
_____________________  
  
Ranma stared at the canal, before reaching into her pocket, and pulling out the object that he had been searching for earlier.  
  
Ryoga's gun.  
  
Ranma stared at the lethal and illegal weapon in her hands, considering the sources Ryoga had to use to get one. The Yakuza tattoo he now wore also told her exactly how far Ryoga was willing to go in his revenge. She was going to have to watch her back more, from now on.  
  
The pigtailed martial artist considered the fact that Ryoga at least won't have this, at least, and tossed the gun into the canal. She leaned over the rail, watching the ripples from where the gun had sunk down and dissappeared. Even if it were recovered, it was now ruined, at least.  
  
"Pretty deep part of the canal, I don't think it ever drains," Ranma quickly turned to Nabiki's voice, more than a little startled to find her there.  
  
Her eyebrows lowered in irritation, "I thought I told you to go home."  
  
Nabiki just shrugged, "Yeah, but I wasn't listening."  
  
"Whatever," Ranma replied, "let's head on out. I'm done here."  
  
"You're not using all that irritating slang," Nabiki commented idly, and glanced sideways to see Ranma's eyebrows raise, and then lower again. She noted he was irritated, but her lips didn't go into that straight line that meant she was angry, "You actually sound like a model addition to society, instead of a delinquent."  
  
"Yo, if yo gonna be like this..." Ranma braced herself to leap away.  
  
"Wait..." Nabiki requested, surprisingly finding Ranma complying, "That gun, why did you toss it away?"  
  
"Piece is probably marked, ain't no use to me," Ranma commented idly, keeping her eyes straight to the path.  
  
"You sure?" Nabiki asked, shyly, "That's not what I think."  
  
"Whateva."  
  
"I think you were concerned about what would happen if someone got that gun before you did, and not just Ryoga. I think you were worried about people here!"  
  
"Shit, I don't give a damn about the peeps here. I gots my own problems, they can handle their own."   
  
"Heh, so Saotome's not as hard as he... er, she likes to pretend." Nabiki almost giggled at the frown Ranma's face formed, "You know? You actually look pretty cute when you pout like that."  
  
Ranma didn't say a word, as she leapt to the rooftops, and back to the Tendou household. "WAIT! RANMA! I'M SORRY, REALLY!" Nabiki shouted after the redhead, trying in vain to hide the humor from her tone. She gave up, and rolled her eyes; who would have ever thought that a self-proclaimed 'G' would be so damn sensitive?  
_____________________  
  
Ryoga was now past the shivers stage, and went into the paranoia phase. As he looked around for 'those' who were watching him, he continued to search for something that was currently more valuable than anything ever could be to him. For something that covered a damn three-forths of the damn planet, the shit was sure hard as HELL for him to find when he *really* needed it. At least it was easier to find, and much safer, than his *other* solution.  
  
"R-R-Ranma..." Ryoga stuttered, his teeth chattering to much that it was making it difficult to speak even partially, "I-I'll g-g-get y-you f-f-f-for th-this... WHERE IS THE DAMN COLD WATER?!?!?"  
_____________________  
  
Ranma sat on the roof of a random building she came to a stop on. Nabiki had to go and say something like that, didn't she? The pigtailed martial artist's curse already irritated the hell out of her enough, she didn't want to have to deal with being 'cute' on top of it.  
  
Ranma sighed, as she shifted to lean her back against a low wall that bordered the roof; she had to admit, it was better than being an ugly girl, at least. Still, she wasn't going to enjoy it. She was supposed to be a man, straight up, no doubt, not some red-headed trick that has every fucka Jones'n for her ass. Ranma had to smirk in after-thought; Nabiki called her cute, she swing that way too?  
  
Ranma's smirk deepened; looks like both of them got something to be clown'n on the other about.  
_____________________  
  
"I'm back!" Nabiki called out, as she entered her home.  
  
"Welcome home, Nabiki," Kasumi called out, "Dinner is going to be a bit delayed, I'm afraid. Do you know what happened to Akane at school today?"  
  
"Uh, she pushed me out of the way of a flying razor sharp bandanna, and accidentally got her hair caught in the way," Nabiki explained, "Is she okay?"  
  
"I... believe so, she's out in the dojo, practicing right now," Kasumi replied, "You're not still mad at us, um, her?" Nabiki jolted at the reminder.  
  
"Have you seen Ranma around?" Nabiki asked with a tight voice, not turning back to look at her sister.  
  
"N-no," Kasumi stuttered, a bit startled that her sister was still upset with her, not that she didn't have ample reason to be.  
  
"I'm going to be up in my room, then," Nabiki marched upstairs. Though it wasn't a slam, Kasumi noted that her door closing was sure audible enough.  
  
"Oh my, I guess I'm going to have to do a great deal of kissing up..."  
_____________________  
  
Ranma landed back in the Tendou's back yard, and heard the noises coming from the dojo. She walked in, expecting to find the thug that slugged her for something she didn't do, not that she was gonna be sweat'n that tap, tho', "Hey, Akane, where..." Ranma-chan's eyebrows raised at the sight of the cute short-haired girl that was training in the dojo, "H-hold up, hold up." As smooth as she could manage, Ranma rolled on up by the girl, staring at him curiously, "Lemme hollar at you for a minnit..."  
  
"Isn't that what got us into trouble with Nabiki?" the girl stated with an almost forlorned sigh, "and you kind of lose the effect by being a girl, you know?"  
  
"Oh, snap! I forgot!" Ranma almost shouted, realizing she was still a girl. She then paused, and looked back at the other girl, "Yo... 'Kane, dat you?"  
  
Akane nodded in reply, amused that Ranma hadn't recognized her until now, "Yeah, had to have my hair evened out after earlier."  
  
"Hey, looks good on ya. Makes you look like less of a thug! A bit younger, tho'."  
  
Akane's eye twitched at the middle of the compliment, but dismissed it, "I was hoping it'll make me look a bit older. I always thought long hair made me seem to young."  
  
Ranma-chan smirked at Akane's pout, and then considered something, "Yo, hold a sec..." She pulled a bandanna from her back pocket, the one that her mentor in the art of being 'Hard' gave her when she 'graduated' from his 'school'. She motioned the curious Akane to turn around, and tied it onto her head. After she was done, Akane felt the bandanna on the top of her head, staring at the redhead with a puzzled expression.  
  
"There, now you still look like the cute lil' thug you are, but not so damn young, 'aight?"  
  
"Um, I guess I'll take that as a compliment.." Akane replied with a half-lidded stare.  
_____________________  
  
Ranma went up Nabiki's room with intentions of psyching up the girl who thought it was funny to call her 'cute'. Ranma was still in girl form, and wearing one of her older windbreaker outfits from when she was younger that fit his girl side somewhat tightly, but better than his others. The redhead twisted the door knob, to find the door locked. "Yo, Nabiki, I wanna talk with ya for a bit..."  
  
"Not right now," Nabiki's voice was somewhat antarctic in temperature. Ranma-chan took the hint, wondering what the Hell was her problem, and why she was taking it out on her ass. She just wanted to talk!  
_____________________  
  
Ranma had seen the middle Tendou sister at dinner, but found her remarkably quiet. Deciding that tonight wasn't the night to mess with her, Ranma changed himself back into a guy, and headed up to the guestroom for the night. Several hours later, an uninvited guest made his way into her room, not quite sure how he did it, but was somewhat glad for it.  
  
"Ranma... wake up..." Ryoga whispered. He started to get anxious when there was no responce, and moved his hands forward to shake the pigtailed young man, "Hey, Ranma, I..."  
  
::CLICK::  
  
"Bad enough you attack my ass without warning, you gonna botha a nigga in his sleep?" Ranma almost growled, holding his gun to Ryoga's forehead. The bandanna wearing boy didn't even seem to notice the gun.  
  
"Ranma, I need a hit! Y-you know I'm good for it! Help me out, w-will ya?"   
  
Ranma blinked at the question. 


	15. Ryoga, tell us a story Aight' Once upon ...

Ranma; just Plain Hard  
  
  
"What the Hell you talk'n about, kid?" Ranma asked, pulling the gun away, slowly, and sitting up in bed.  
  
"I h-hadn't gotten a-any in a w-while, and I can't f-find any damn h-hot water!" Ryoga studdered. Ranma could feel him shivering without being touched.  
  
Ryoga's request became clear to him, "Hold up, you're asking me for some shit? Kid, you talk'n with the wrong nigga, now get lost!"  
  
"D-damn it, Ranma! Ryoga almost shouted, "T-this is a-al your f-fault in the first p-place!"   
  
"Oh, now you gonna be going and blaming me for your damn problems!" Ranma challenged, "I didn't have anything to do with you going and getting your ass involved with the Mob!"   
  
Ryoga's slightly glassed eyes grew wide, "H-how..."  
  
"Ain't many other ways to get yourself a piece in Japan," Ranma snapped, "And there's also this tattoo..." Ranma grabbed Ryoga's arm, and blinked, "Hey, yo, where..."  
  
"T-take me to s-some cold w-water."  
_________________  
  
Ranma stood off to the side, as Ryoga rushed to the showerhead like a man who had been in solitude in the desert for eons, "So, what happened to your tattoos? I saw that shit plain as d-... hold up," Ranma's sleep addled mind considered something, "Why you need cold water?"  
  
The showerhead turned on, and then back off. Ryoga turned towards Ranma with a dark smile, "To sober me up." Ranma was about to ask, before he noticed Ryoga's tattoos were back.  
  
The yakuza took advantage of Ranma's surprise, to splash him with the detachable shower head, and then rush her into the wall. Ryoga grinned with a fang, as he held his forearm against the redhead's throat, "Now, where were we before you went and got all bitchy on me?"  
  
Ranma remembered exactly what Ryoga was talking about, quickly setting her off. The redhead thrust her knee into Ryoga's groin, and when the forearm slackened against her throat, she head butted him. Ryoga staggered backwards into the other wall, and found Ranma's leg sweeping his from under him.  
  
In her spin from her standing sweep, Ranma pulled out his glock, and dropped down onto Ryoga, with her left hand against his shoulder, and the muzzle of the gun down his throat. "Alright, I've been all nice to your ass, despite that you fucked up twice now around me! You then go and wake my ass up in the middle of the night, ask'n for shit, and then you go and get silly on my ass..." Ranma released the safety that Ryoga didn't notice was on until her thumb flicked it, "How how about you talk with me, and tell me what the fuck's your problem?"  
  
Ryoga growled, furthering in angering Ranma, before she realized the problem, "oh, my bad..." She pulled the gun from his mouth, but held it against his forehead, "Now, I'm wait'n to hear a story."  
_________________  
  
Ryoga dusted off his school outfit; his fanged snarl reflecting how much a menace he was to those who irritated him. Unfortunately, the one who was currently irritating him to no end, the one who was responcible for the footprint in the middle of his forehead, was not intimidated in the least, "What's your name?"  
  
"Saotome, kid, look'n to hook up, or someth'n?" The boy wearing the dark non-reflective shades asked, after taking a bite of his lunchbread.  
  
"I'll remember this outrage!" Ryoga exclaimed, pointing angrily at Ranma.  
  
"Whoa, chill, chill, dawg!" Ranma placated, "No need to get hostile!"  
  
"You stole my bread, and you have the gall to tell me such a thing?"  
  
"Oh, yo, if you need someth'n I can hook ya up. Picked this shit up from around the way, you interested?"  
  
Ryoga's expression relaxed in curiosity...  
_________________  
  
"Oh, damn," Ranma-chan exclaimed, "I did do that, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, you did," Ryoga accused with a dry, but angry tone, "Do you know how you've ruined my life?"  
  
"Hey, man, you didn't have to take any of it!" Ranma retorted.  
  
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP GIVING ME ANY FOR A HIGH PRICE WHEN I CAME BEGGING FOR IT!" Ryoga shouted.  
  
"Yo, chill with the shouting, other people are in this house, you know?" Ryoga growled in responce. "Anyway? What's with the water wash tattoos?"  
  
Ryoga continued his story...  
_________________  
  
R-R-RANMA! COME ON! I NEED IT!" Ryoga continued to bang on the apartment door where he was positive he knew the Saotomes resided. He had been doing it for hours, much to the irritation of the neighbors. At the moment, though, Ryoga didn't care; his only thought being on the driving need he was feeling, that Ranma was able to supply for. "COME ON, RANMA! I HAVE THE MONEY THIS TIME!!! I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER!!!"  
  
"What the Hell's your problem, kid?" Ryoga turned to find an irritated old woman holding a broom, staring him down.  
  
"I need to speak to Ranma!" Ryoga pointed to the door behind him.  
  
The old woman snorted, "Feh, they left yesterday. Something about training in China. Now get off my property before I call the cops!"  
  
"China?" Ryoga felt a deep despair settle over him. If Ranma was in China, where would he... how could he...  
  
"RANMA! I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO GET MY FIX!" Ryoga vowed.  
_________________  
  
"Back that shit up, you followed me all the way to China?" Ranma-chan asked, incredulously.  
  
"SHUT UP, RANMA! IF YOU HADN'T GOTTEN ME HOOKED, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING!"  
  
Elsewhere in the house, Nabiki, Akane, and Kasumi were out in the hall, looking around nervously.  
  
"Could it be a burgler?" Kasumi asked with a severely concerned tone, "Oh my, I'm so frightened!" Kasumi felt a slight fit of deja vu float through her mind at those words, recalling her first and last night with Ranma. With a nervous look towards one of her drowsy sisters, she decided it wasn't something worth mentioning in present company.  
  
"I don't know, but whoever it is, I'm gonna clobber them!" Akane stated menacingly, holding her shinai at ready.  
  
"Akane, not only do you look rediculous with that bandanna on," Nabiki began, choking back a yawn, "but I don't think that stick is going to do much damage."  
  
"Nabiki's right," Kasumi agreed, and then added quickly, "The stick, I mean. here, use this?"  
  
Akane hefted the barbell her sister handed her, and nodded.  
_________________  
  
Ryoga was a little more than a shell of his former self. The long trek through China in pursuit of Ranma hadn't done anything to assist his withdrawl problems. The only thing keeping him going was the thought of relief, once he found Ranma; he even had quadruple the funds, so that he could indulge. Pushing through the dense fog around him, Ryoga continued on his quest.  
  
"Hello, customer, you at Legendary Training Grounds of Jus-" A splash cut off the pigin Japanese that was being recited by the pudgy man in the Maoist uniform, "Oh, too bad, you fall in Spring of Drowned Man, legend say spring is where young man drown fourteen-hundred year ago. Now whoever fall into spring take body of young man."  
  
Ryoga dismissed the man as some sort of withdrawl-induced illusion, before realizing something. For the first time in a long time, he was thinking clearly. Not only that, he no longer felt the cravings that were so powerful that they would sometimes leave him whimpering wrecks at any given moment.  
  
The young man pulled himself out of the spring, ignoring the chubby man holding a kettle of steaming water for him, saying something about 'reversing curse'. Now that Ryoga was feeling oh so much better, he had a whole new reason for finding Ranma...  
  
"Ranma, mark my words. From this moment on, I vow that I will make your life a living Hell a hundredfold of what you had put me through!"  
_________________  
  
"Damn, that's hard, man," Ranma replied, rather chagrinned.  
  
"You don't know how hard, Ranma!" Ryoga growled. Before the redhead could realize it, she was launched through the air, and slammed into the wall next to the shower head, while her gun skidded off to the side. As Ryoga aggressed on her, Ranma quickly picked up the shower head, and aimed it. The other boy quickly covered himself from the spray with his arms, although they wouldn't protect him.  
  
"FUCK!" Ranma didn't realize how long it would take for the shower to heat up. With a burst of speed, Ranma dashed past Ryoga, bumping him into the wall, while heading for the hallway. Immidiately, the yakuza gave chase, following Ranma into the back yard.  
  
the pigtailed girl smirked, finally having some maneuvering room, before she turned around, and leapt straight up. Ryoga grunted, and followed his nemesis into the air.  
  
"FOO'! THIS MY AIRSPACE!" Ranma shouted, before flipping forward, with her leg extended for a falling ax kick. Ryoga blocked it with both his forearms, and leaned backwards with his own leg extended. Ranma twisted out of the retaliatory kick before it could connect, and they both landed, facing each other.  
  
"Would you stop that rediculous way of speaking?" Ryoga growled, before charging at Ranma. The redhead spun back to her left, allowing Ryoga to pass as she fell onto her back, and kicked the side of his knee. Ryoga buckled, and dropped to a sweep with his other leg, just missing as Ranma back handsprung away.  
  
"Kid, look at you, thinking you can swing from these!" Ranma pointed to her crotch, forgetting her gender for the moment.  
  
"Hey, Ranma, anyone hit that sweet little hole of yours? I'm looking forward to popping that cherry!" Ryoga taunted back with a fanged grin. It was too dark to see Ranma's eyes, but the reaction was immidiate.  
  
Ryoga was forced to leap away, before Ranma got ahold of him; presuming from the sudden aggression shift, that what Ranma had planned would not be good for him. Unfortunately for Ryoga, neither was the dumbell colliding with his head.  
  
"SHIT!" Ryoga cried, as he landed, grabbing the back of his head, and leapt again backwards onto the house roof, and then off to the other side.  
  
"GET THE FUCK BACK HERE, HIBIKI! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOUR ASS YET!" The furious redhead was about to take off in pursuit, before Kasumi's voice caught up with her.  
  
"Ranma? Who was that?"  
  
The redhead turned to find Akane and Kasumi on the porch, looking at him with concern. "Just a little punk bitch that's gonna have words with me lata. Don't sweat it, cool?"  
  
Akane looked at him for a moment, and then shrugged, "'Aight, let's go back to bed Kasumi." Akane motioned her sister to follow, and Kasumi cast one more concerned look to Ranma, before she followed. The redhead girl was still looking to where Ryoga disappeared to. She blinked, wondering if she heard what Akane said correctly, before snorting.  
  
"It's on the next time we meet up, you're marked in my book, now." With that, Ranma started back into the house, and towards the bathroom to change back to a guy.  
  
The already extremely upset redhead didn't care to deal with any more shit that night, too bad fate was being a fucked up bitch. Ranma stared into the bathroom from the doorway, where she saw Ryoga on top of Nabiki, who was staring into his eyes with a mean smirk plastered on her face. It didn't help the situation that Ryoga's hand was up her nightshirt, and on the side of her thigh.  
  
Ranma pivoted on her heel, not even paying attention to Nabiki's calls, and slammed the door so hard, it fell of the hinges. 


	16. Love you Betta

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
"Sounds like it's coming from the bathroom..." Akane whispered, holding the barbell. Nabiki stayed at the top of the stairs, while Kasumi kept behind Akane. The two sisters tentatively approached the bathroom door, just before it swung open, barely missing them. Ranma-chan ran out with someone on her tail; Kasumi didn't know who it was, but Akane had her suspicions. She would be able to get some small measure of revenge for her hairdo, at least.  
  
Nabiki had watched the two streaks race by, and then saw her sisters running after them. Several moment's later, the middle Tendou sister heard swearing from a male voice, and then Ranma's rather angry, though female voice calling out. Nabiki sighed, wondering if nights like this were going to be often, and decided to enter the bathroom to investigate whatever the commotion was.  
_______________  
  
Ryoga staggered about, holding the back of his head in pain, and swearing about stupid red-headed bitches and their backup. Finally, he looked up, and did not recognize where he was. "Damn, where the Hell am I know?" The lost boy swore, as he walked down the hall. He turned into the first door he found, and noted it was the bathroom he and Ranma were in not too long ago. He turned to leave, and found the door had been moved, much to his irritation. He turned to see where the bathroom exit had been relocated to, and found another wall in its stead. Growing fustrated, Ryoga took one more turn, and found a doorway, not the same one he had came in through, but one nonetheless that would be a start.  
  
"Fuck you, Ranma, when I find you again I'll...  
  
"HEY!"  
_______________  
  
Nabiki heard mumbling from the outer room of the bathroom. Thinking it was Ranma, she stalked out, ready to give him a piece of her mind for waking her and her sisters up in the middle of the night, and didn't realize how close the other occupant in the furo room was, "HEY!"  
  
Ryoga had the momentum well over Nabiki, and when they colided, his leg got entangled with her's, and he fell forward, with Nabiki under her. He had barely managed to arrest his fall from landing completely on her, but found her bare buttcheek landing on his hand.  
  
Ryoga blinked, realizing that he had a near naked girl under him, and fell right into character. He turned his hand up, and squeezed firmly, "Nice muscletone."  
  
Nabiki began to smile at Ryoga a smile that was saccarine sweet, but totally devoid of humor. Her hand that wasn't pressed against his chest to keep him from laying completely flat on her started to move between them, flexing tightly. "Thanks," she replied, "Now, you have three seconds to Get. The. Hell. Off me."  
  
Ryoga noted her smile changed to a mean grin, with each word punctuated, and knew how to counter, "Now don't be like that! I'll tell you what, how about I massage that tender ass of yours, I bet it's sore from the fall, ne?"  
  
Nabiki wasn't paying attention to what he said, instead looking wide eyed towards Ranma, standing at the bathroom door with a neutral expression. Immidiately, she realized the position she was in, "Oh, oh no, Ranma, this isn't what it looks like! RANMA!" The redhead ignored her, and slammed the door so hard, it fell into the bathroom.  
  
Ryoga had turned around, and seen the redhead depart. Instead of giving chase, he indulged in the small victory he accomplished, "So, I guess Ranma had something for youuuuUUUUUUU!!!!!!"  
  
Nabiki's hand had gone into action, and Ryoga's high pitched shrill, and attempt to back away from the pain, pulled the girl up into kneeling. Nabiki fully stood, holding firmly, and rather tightly onto Ryoga, while she walked briskly forward, backing him into a wall.  
  
"I told you to get the hell off me, didn't I?" the middle Tendou sister growled, while she started to glow blue.  
  
Ryoga nodded frantically, before chanting in a high pitched whisper, "My nuts, my nuts..."  
  
Nabiki leaned in closer to his face, "If I ever see you again, your 'nuts' won't be worth anything to you." Nabiki shook her hand, to show she meant good on her threat, before releasing Ryoga. The short-haired girl strode by Ryoga to chase after Ranma, as Ryoga slid down the wall, holding his groin.  
  
After groaning, and getting some sembalence of himself together, Ryoga growled, "Damn frigid bitch!"  
_______________  
  
Nabiki ran into Ranma's room, only finding his father asleep with a large lump on his head, as usual, but no Ranma, "Ranma? Where are you, Ranma?" She ran down stairs, and did a quick search of the house, before growling, returning upstairs, and bursting into each of her sister's rooms. She started to glow again, at Kasumi's door, and rushed in, before imidiately rushing out. Her angry aura had blinked out, leaving only her beet red face. Good thing Kasumi was too... preoccupied to realize she had been spotted.  
  
With a sullen sigh, Nabiki went back to her room, and sat on her bed, "Damn it, Ranma, you jerk..."  
_______________  
  
Said jerk was laying on the roof, staring into the sky. She didn't care to come back into the house, but heard Nabiki's calls for her, and her searching through the house. Ranma didn't want to hear it, though.  
  
"That bitch, that bitch, that bitch, that bitch..."  
_______________  
  
"RANMA!" Nabiki couldn't hide the relief in her voice, as she saw the rather haggard looking red-head enter the house in the morning, "Ranma, just listen to me for a second, it... Ranma, LISTEN TO ME!"  
  
Ranma walked by Nabiki, ignoring her, as she went towards the stairs to gather her bath stuff; she didn't realize how cold it was going to be that night, and needed a hot bath as soon as possible.  
  
Immensely irritated by the silent treatment, Nabiki grabbed onto Ranma's arm, "Hey, quit acting like a-ow!" Without turning around, Ranma slapped Nabiki's hand away, and started up the stairs.  
_______________  
  
"That ungrateful, annoying, infuriating, hypocritical BASTARD!" Nabiki seethed, watching Ranma striding ahead of her and Akane. The youngest Tendou had to roll her eyes, as her sister rushed up to Ranma once again, pleading for him to listen.  
  
As soon as she approached, though, he leapt onto a nearby wall, and walked precariously on its edge.  
  
"RANMA! GET DOWN HER AND TALK TO ME!" Nabiki demanded, once again finding her ire impotent against his callous inattention. "Fine, if you want to be an asshole..." Nabiki started to walk briskly ahead, and the farther she got, Akane could see her posture sag.  
  
With a shake of her head, Akane mumbled to herself, "Ranma, you jerk."  
_______________  
  
Through out school, Nabiki felt miserable. It didn't make sense to her at all; Ranma slept with BOTH her sisters, casually at that! Yet when she got caught in a highly compromising (though completely circumstantial) position with his apparent arch-nemesis, he wouldn't even look in her direction. Nabiki didn't want to acknowledge how much it *hurt* to have him doing that. Even if he were looking at her in complete anger, it would be better; that meant that there were at least feelings being directed towards her other than animosity.  
  
The middle Tendou daughter trudged home with a gray cloud of meloncholy gloom hanging over her. She entered the house and gave a weak announcement of her arrival.  
  
"Oh Nabiki!," Kasumi greeted, meeting her in the hall, "Is there something wrong with Ranma, he..." She stopped, as she saw her sister's downtrodden expression. "He... he went straight up to his room, but he wouldn't tell me what's wrong, and Akane told me it wasn't her business to say, though she wasn't sure. Is there something wrong between you?"  
  
"Nothing I intend to straighten out, right now," Nabiki responded, putting up a front of irritation, instead of hurt. After removing her shoes, she started upstairs, and went towards Ranma's room. She raised her fist to knock, just before she heard the song playing from his personal stereo. With they lyrics, her face grew from concerned to downright livid. After hearing enough, she stormed into her room, and slammed the door.  
  
Akane poked her head out of her room, wondering how Nabiki got so ticked off so quickly. She approached the guestroom door, and listened in on it. Akane wasn't anywhere near as good as her sister was with English, particularly with slang, but she had an inkling the song Ranma was listening to was what set her off....  
  
"My Bad, I shoulda treated you like the Skank you are,  
Instead of having you ride on up in my car.  
If I had stuck to my original plan,  
You would be a one-night stand..."  
_______________  
  
Nabiki realized Akane was onto something here; hitting things was very therapeutic. Akane walked into the dojo, to find her sister in a pair of bicycle shorts and a sportsbra, pounding on the bananna bag that hung mostly unused in the corner.  
  
"What's going on between you and Ranma?" Akane asked, after her sister stopped for a slight pause.  
  
Nabiki turned to glare at her sister, before going back to working on the bag with a series of punches and kicks, "As far as I'm concerned, nothing is going on between me and Ranma. You or Kasumi can have him, for all I care!" Akane noted Nabiki's attacks were groing stronger as she talked.  
  
"It has something to do with last night, doesn't it?" Akane asked, "Did you ever find him, then?"  
  
Nabiki didn't turn back to her sister, "Like it matters, I'm not in the wrong, here!"  
  
"Then why are you trying so hard to get back in his good graces?"  
  
"I'm NOT trying to get in his good graces!" Nabiki snarled, "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"  
  
"Ah... okay," akane placated, staring at her sister's fist, which was being held through what was left of the large punching bag; she just knew her father was going to blame her for this.  
  
"Uh..." Nabiki retracted her fist, and stared at the shattered bag in awe, "Did I do that?"  
  
"Nabiki, I know I'm probably not the person to be talking to about this," Akane started, "but I think you might... want to try harder to get back with him? I mean you're getting pretty upset about this."  
  
Nabiki let out a sigh, "Look, he doesn't even want to listen to me, so I can at least explain myself. If he's going to be such a hypocritical asshole, then I don't care about this whole thing... I need something else to hit."  
  
"Yeah, you really don't care," Akane drolled, already knowing that the smaller bag was going to need replacing soon.  
_______________  
  
"Ranma?" Kasumi let herself in, and found Ranma lounging on his bedding, just staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Hey, sup, Kasumi?"  
  
"Is there something going on between you and Nabiki? She wouldn't tell me." Kasumi kneeled at Ranma's side, and twisted her hair nervously.  
  
Ranma gave her a glance, before turning to look back at the ceiling, "Na, nothing's between us. Not anymore, anyways."  
  
"Oh my, why did you two break up? You made such a cute couple," Kasumi placed her hands on her lap, awaiting an answer.  
  
"She's just too spiteful for me. I ain't gonna deal with shit like that."  
  
"What did she do?"  
  
"I caught her last night under the punk that was trying to get on my ass last night," Ranma continued, feeling a little better about getting it out in the open to someone.  
  
Kasumi grew a puzzled expression, "Oh my, that doesn't sound like Nabiki at all!"  
  
"Well, I saw it, I ain't going to argue with it."  
  
"I think you may have it all wrong," Kasumi continued, "Nabiki wouldn't do anything like that. If anything, she's always loyal, even to those she's upset with." Kasumi flinched to herself after realizing what she said.  
  
"Well, she didn't seem that loyal to me. Damn, and she was on my case about you and the thug!"  
  
Kasumi sighed in a resigned tone, before gaining a slight smile. She shifted herself to lay on Ranma's chest, her breast pressing into his body, while she looked him in the eyes, "Then, I guess this means it's truly over between you and Nabiki?"  
  
She leaned down to kiss Ranma, and pouted when he turned his head away with a sullen expression, "I guess."  
  
Kasumi studied his expression for a moment, before her smile came back. She sat back up to seiza, and patted Ranma a couple of times on his stomach, "I think you should go talk to her, and hear her side of the story. You'll regret if if you don't."  
  
Ranma turned to look back at Kasumi, before sitting up, "Shit, I probably won't get any sleep over this until this drama is resolved." With that, Ranma got up, and left the room.  
  
Kasumi watched him leave, before bowing her head with her eyes closed, and shaking it, "too much drama between you two."  
_______________  
  
Akane stook anxiously at the doorway, while Nabiki was kneeling over a pile of bricks, and readying her blade chop. Akane couldn't recall the last time Nabiki had practiced breaking bricks, but her sister insisted on it, since she had ran out of things to hit. Ranma walked in, and saw Nabiki concentrating intently on what she was about to do, before turning to Akane.  
  
The youngest girl turned, and raised her eyebrows to Ranma. She quickly approached the door to talk to him, but he waived her off gently. Akane understood, and nodded, before walking out.  
  
"OW! DAMN IT!" Nabiki shot to standing, cradling her bruised edge of her hand, before she caught sight of Ranma, "Ra-Ranma!"  
  
Ranma had his shades on, but Nabiki could feel the intensity of his stare, "What were you doing with Ryoga last night?"  
  
Nabiki shivered at his tone, but wanted to look him in the eyes before she said anything. She briskly walked up to him, and with her pained hand cradled to her chest, she used her free hand to remove his sunglasses. The hardened and intense eyes that were behind them almost caused Nabiki to start crying right then and there, as they were devoid of any warm emotion.  
  
She reinforced herself, focusing on her hurt hand for focus. Through gritted teeth, Nabiki seethed in anger, "I was trying to rip his damn balls off, right when you walked in!"  
  
Ranma's eyes lost the diamond hardness, as he blinked in confusion. The confusion didn't last long, "Wait a sec, you mean to tell me that he was..."  
  
Nabiki stepped back, as Ranma's expression became ten times as intense as she had ever seen it. As much as she disliked the other guy, she feared what would happen if Ranma got ahold of him, "Ranma, it was an accident. He just tripped over me, but I'm not all that happy with him right now, either."  
  
Ranma bowed his head, and then looked back up to Nabiki. She felt lightheaded to see a soft smile cross his face, "I believe ya. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."  
  
It was Nabiki's turn to be angry, "You're damn right you should be sorry! You had me worried, and you had pulled the same DAMN thing with my sis- ow!" Nabiki attempted to jab Ranma with her index finger on her right hand, which incidentally was the one she had hurt. Ranma gently grabbed her hand by the wrist, pulled the edge to his mouth, and lightly kissed it. he then pulled her hand around his neck, and brought both his own around her waist. The two scooted closer, finally making up. 


	17. Omake 3 Nabiki for Real

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
Omake  
  
"I'm not even scheduled for another omake for a few chapters, yet."  
  
"I don't see how it should be a problem. You get to be lazy and write less, for the time being."  
  
"You sure you wanna do this? I didn't think you would want any part of this."  
  
"No, no, I would like a turn, thank you very much."  
  
WFROSE scratched the back of his head, then shrugged, "Cool den. If this falls flat, I'll just save it for blackmail material."  
  
Nabiki glared, but made no comment, as she made her way to centerstage, where a plush hunter green valeur chair awaited her.  
  
Ranma came up behind WFROSE, and glance down at him sideways, "What's this all about." WFROSE just shrugged in reply  
  
  
Nabiki cleared her thoat.  
  
"I wrote this little diddy for you, Ranma,  
To let you know about these things that I feel for you.  
I never thought anything could be so real,  
an everlasting bond, an unbreakable seal so true  
From the moment I saw you,   
I thought I could finally get to know you in the way that lovers should.  
I put my trust in you, faith in you.  
I'd give myself for you, bleed for you.  
If you looked deeper, there's only need for you.  
But a little drama came into play, threatening to send us on our separate ways.  
Even in betrayal, I was lost without you.  
Even before pride, I came back to you.  
Even offered to start anew,  
even when you blamed me, I *still* wanted you.  
Maybe I'm just a sucker for a handsome face,  
but now, I can't imagine anyone in your place.  
And so you know,  
now that we are back together,  
We'll work to stay together, a part we'll be never!  
In the darkest pre-dawns and stormiest weather  
I just want to love you,  
  
Love you forever."  
  
Nabiki wiped her eyes, and stood, "Thank you for allowing me this time." With that, she walked off to the opposite end of the stage.  
  
WFROSE rolled his eyes towards Ranma, "If you fuck this up, I'm personally going to kick your ass..." Ranma remained stoic, though behind his Oaklys, there would be a different story.  
________________  
  
"Ow, eyestrain," Nabiki whined, as she stepped offstage to meet her sisters.  
  
"Maybe the tears were going a bit too far?" Kasumi asked, hesitantly, before adding, "I mean, you could harm your vision, having to keep your eyes unfocused, like that."  
  
"I think it worked, WFROSE is glaring at Ranma, now," Akane stated, barely peeking from behind the curtain.  
  
"Heh, this'll hopefully keep the both of them in line," Nabiki stated with a smirk, "Now maybe I can enjoy a non-screwed up romance with someone."  
  
"Um..." Kasumi gripped the front of her skirt nervously, "Since... we helped you write that, are we forgiven?"  
  
Nabiki gave Kasumi a neutral look, "Why don't we wait until you redeem yourselves in plot, huh?" Both Akane and Kasumi looked at each other sullenly, but reluctantly nodded.  
________________  
  
"[...-deem yourselves in plot, huh?]"  
  
WFROSE chuckled, as the turned off the tap he had set on the other side of the stage. He left Ranma musing, and walked away.  
  
"Hee hee, they so silly!" 


	18. Amazons be Tripp'n

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
'Amazons be Tripp'n!'  
  
  
"We're almost there, the bastard won't escape us further!"  
  
"Are you sure this time, child? I really wish you would reconsider..."  
  
"Honored elder, you know the laws of our tribe as well as I do. I *will* bring the bastard child of that throwrug back for the punishment-"  
  
"So, that's what you consider it?"  
  
"If I have to suffer this damnable situation, Ranma will too!"  
  
The elderly voice that stood just behind the girl almost growled, "Do you really think such an honorless fool would take responcibility? Honestly, You should allow me to handle this, and we will be done with this..." The elder added as almost an after-thought, "Well, as much as we can be."  
  
The young woman tensed, "What are you implying... 'honored' elder?"  
  
The elder caught the tone of the younger, and her own eyeroll could be heard in her reply, "Oh please, let's not start this again. I'm not in the mood to listen to your..."  
  
"Listen to *what*?" The young woman with lavender hair, violet eyes, and an excutiatingly violent temperment as of late whirled on the old lady, who slumped her shoulders in resignation. The elder could remind the young lady of her place, but she already knew that it was a lost cause.  
  
"Xian Pu, it's just the hor-"  
  
"JUST THE *WHAT*?" Xian Pu shouted so loud, her voice shrilled, "MAYBE IT'S NOT THIS TIME, THINK ABOUT THAT? MAYBE I LIKE BEING ANGRY RIGHT NOW? MAYBE I'M NATURALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ANGRY RIGHT NOW? MAYBE I'M HAPPY AT BEING ANGRY! I'M HAPPILY ANGRY RIGHT NOW! I'M SO HAPPILY ANGRY I COULD GRAB RANMA'S NECK WITH MY LEFT HAND, AND USE MY RIGHT TO TWIST OFF THE HEAD LIKE A CORKSCREW! AND THEN STOMP DOWN RANMA'S NECK UNTO ALL OF THE SHITHEAD'S INSIDES ARE HYPERDENSE GELATIN SETTLING IN THE SOLES OF THE FUCKER'S SHOES!!! I'M SOOOOO FUCKING LUDICROUSLY SHITFACED HAPPILY ANGRY I COULD GODDAMN SCREAM UNTIL I SHIT FROM MY EARS IN RAPTURE!!!"  
  
The elder stepped back with more than a slight amount of concern; Xian Pu was a bit too colorful for her liking. Thinking quickly, the elder redirected the younger's feral attention, "Oh! A frozen yougart parlor, are you feeling hungry?"  
  
Xian Pu's raging countenance changed to one of pure bliss, "Ohhhhh!!! Yes, yes, yes, pretty please?!?"  
  
"I think we should stop for a treat," the elder's eyes shifted, as she quickly wiped a bead of nervous sweat that had broken out on her temple, "After the journey we've made so far today, I think you deserve a bit of rest."  
  
"Rest?" Xian Pu asked with a deadly calm that caused all the wildlife within a three kilometer radius to run to a relatively safer twenty kilometer radius, "Why would I need to 'rest', Hmm? Do you think I'm getting feeble? Do you think I'm in no condition to continue on, huh? Do *you* think I'm no longer the champion warrior you've trained since I was able to walk? *Well*? DO YOU THINK I'M NO LONGER WORTH YOUR GODDAMNED TIME, THAT YOU CAN LEAVE ME SOMEWHERE IN THIS MISERABLE FORSAKEN COUNTRY AND RUN BACK HOME?"  
  
Xian Pu was sobbing by now, "I thought you loved me? What have I done to upset you so? Can you forgive me? I beg for your forgiveness, elder! Please don't leave me alone! I'm sorry! I *REALLY* am! I-"  
  
"Ah..." the elder shifted her eyes nervously to the crowd building around them, "Xian Pu, I bet they have butterscotch there..."  
  
"YAY!!! BUTTERSCOTCH!" Xian Pu was suddenly no longer postrating herself before her elder's feet, and bouncing from foot to foot, while swinging side to side happily.  
  
Elder Khun Lon sighed, and grumbled under her breath, "Ranma, you will answer for this. I swear by all my ancestors honored, you will pay dearly..."  
____________________  
  
All the students slowly backed away from the general direction of the gate; all of them staring in wide eyed fear at what was coming through.  
  
"It's... it's not possible..." muttered one frightened girl.  
  
"What have the Hells released upon us timid mortals?" One young man whispered, suddenly brandishing Shintoist prayer beads in warding.  
  
Akane looked around, as she walked through the gate, and rolled her eyes. She knew what was scaring the Hell out of all them, but she thought it really was an overreaction. She did have to admit one thing, though...  
  
"Honestly, we're out in public."  
  
Akane turned to look over her shoulder, to find Ranma embracing a blissfully smiling Nabiki from behind; following her steps intimately close, while his chin rested on the top of her head. As usual, his eyes were hidden by his dark shades, but the smug smile on his face gave away his mood.  
  
What struck fear into the hearts of Furinkan High's attendance was the fact that Nabiki, the most ruthless, vengeful, devious, guileful, and arguably sinister person to ever grace the Furinkan district, was together with Ranma; easily the most violent, dangerous, vicious, and outright craziest G this side of American soil. They were together, they were both smiling, and they were together.  
  
Was it mentioned that they were together?  
  
Truly, two of the horsemen of the oncoming apocolypse have come together with the intent of catastrophic myschief. Beli' dat, foo'!  
  
"Suddenly, I think I need to relocate... north! WAAAAYYYY up north!" One student proclaimed, before running into the school, with the intent of withdrawling from Furinkan High forever.  
  
"I think I left the stove on and my house burned down," One girl stated, making a mad dash for the side gate. Suddenly, a new trend was started; get the hell away from the couple of Nabiki and Ranma, as far and as quick as possible.  
  
Nabiki giggled, as she managed to build enough willpower to pull away from her fiancee's embrace, though taking his right hand into her left, "I'll see you at lunch, okay, Ranma-kun?"  
  
"Aight," Ranma replied with warm humor, "I'll catch you later, den." Nabiki stepped back to Ranma, still holding his hand. She tilted her head up, and gave him a light kiss on the lips.  
  
"Bye," the middle Tendou sister replied, as she pulled away. Ranma snorted, and kept ahold of her hand. Nabiki stopped, and turned to Ranma with a puzzled expression, before he pulled her back in for another light kiss. Nabiki giggled again, and waved to him with her free hand, before attempting to pull away again. Ranma grunted in negative reply, and kept ahold of Nabiki's hand. Nabiki stopped again, and giggled harder, as Ranma pulled her in again for another light kiss.  
  
"Ranma, we're going to be late," Nabiki lightly scolded, as she had pulled back only a few inches from Ranma after their last kiss.  
  
"Na, we got... yo?" Ranma looked around at the practically empty schoolyard, "Where the peeps?"  
  
Akane chose to continue rubbing her forehead through the black bandanna she wore under her hairline with her eyes closed, and walk into the school, not answering the question.  
____________________  
  
Ryoga stood straight at attention with a solomn expression before the man at the large marble desk.  
  
The rather well-groomed Japanese man in his mid-fifties, with a firm, stout build, clean haircut and wirefram glasses, looked back at Ryoga with equal graveness. "I see," he stated in a voice almost monotone in its stoicness, though it reverberated with a pitch bass, "That is a great mis-fortune. I'm afraid I won't replace your gun, if you cannot prove to be responcible for keeping it accountable. And your second failure needs to be answered for, also."  
  
"Yes, I am aware of my dishonor, and request my amends for such dire failures that reflect badly upon you, sir." Ryoga said with a straight face, though inside, he was heavily seething.  
  
"I'm glad you understand the seriousness of this situation," the man at the desk said with a chillingly calm countenance. He opened the second drawer of his desk on the right side, and pulled out a laquer box about the size of a shoebox, "You know what to do, I believe?"  
  
Ryoga nodded, and stepped up to the desk. He opened the box, and removed a rice-silk drop cloth, a silk hankerchief, and an extremely sharp tanto. This would be Ryoga's first time, but he had seen it done by other members of his Yakuza sect.  
  
Ryoga kept his face solumn, as he carefully wrapped the pinky of his left hand in the cloth at the first joint, "Damn you Ranma, this is all your fault..." He then laid his left hand flat against the dropcloth, "You miserable son of a bitch..." He then picked up the tanto, "By all that could ever be sacred to me..." Ryoga braced the knife right above his pinky, at the first joint, "I will make you pay for this..." Ryoga took a deep breath, and braced, "PAY FOR THE HELL YOU PUT ME THROUGH!" Ryoga started the blade down...  
  
::KINK!::  
  
Ryoga blinked, having his thoughts and atonement interrupted, by a second knife that kept the blade from cutting off his pinky's tip. He looked up, to find his boss's satisfied expression, as he held a second knife in place.  
  
"It pleases me to know you take your actions seriously, but I just wanted to ensure you're sincerity," he stated with light humor, "I've decided to give you another chance, without having to disfigure yourself. This Ranma boy, I would like you to bring him before me, so that we can properly decide on what to do with him."  
  
Ryoga fought to keep from baulking. He wanted to shout at his superior, he wanted to refuse the command. Revenge on Ranma was his personal mission, and his only. Instead, he asked with a deceptively calm, but curious tone, "Sir?"  
  
"You have proven yourself a valuable asset to me, and quite the up and coming Yakuza in your own right. I would like to make it a full message on what happens to anyone who challenges me, or those that serve under me." The man at the desk grew a slight smile, "Particularly those I hold in high regard."  
  
Impotent at his situation, Ryoga could only bow, "Thank you for granting me an opportunity to redeem myself."  
  
"And as I am aware of your... spacial ailment, I am being lenient on your deadline. Two months."  
  
"I understand." Ryoga bowed, and left the office. After he was gone, the man at the desk allowed himself a full smile.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, you indeed sound like an impressive young man..."  
____________________  
  
"I missed you," Nabiki whispered, as she walked home from school, hand in hand with Ranma.  
  
"I know, I know," Ranma replied, looking around the area, and keeping himself from looking into Nabiki's wanting eyes.  
  
"You know that I missed you, or you know because you missed me just as much?" Nabiki asked with warm cheer, though there was the barest hint of an edge in her voice.  
  
"I-" Ranma suddenly scooped Nabiki up into his arms, cradling her, as he leapt onto the roof of a nearby house. Nabiki hadn't missed the sound of something crashing through concrete less than a split second from their leap.  
  
"WHAT?" Nabiki shouted, before she heard Ranma swear, and leap again to another roof, "WHAT'S GOING ON?!?"  
  
Ranma was in the midst of another leap, "FUCK!" Nabiki felt the world revert inside out, as Ranma twisted upside down, and around from a two foot projectile that bolted past them.  
  
"The bastard is a fast one!" said projectile growled, as it rebounded off a nearby roof, and headed back at Ranma and Nabiki.  
  
Ranma leaned back, pulling Nabiki as tight as possible into himself, as he twisted away from the end of some sort of staff aimed at his face. His momentum had been totally thrown out, forcing him and Nabiki into freefall, with Nabiki clutching to him from top while Ranma fell backwards.  
  
In a tight flip, Ranma landed on his feet, while letting his ankles and knees absorb the fall as not to jolt Nabiki. Ranma quickly put a severely shaken Nabiki to her feet, and gently but urgently pushed her away, just as a familiar figure walked around the corner, glaring intentful murder.  
  
"Sha-Shampoo?" Ranma studdered in shock. Nabiki didn't miss it.  
  
"Shampoo? Who is that girl, Ranma?"  
  
"RUN!" Ranma shouted, jumping away from Nabiki, just as a their attacker from the air landed right where he had been with a crippling impact. Ranma bounded off the side of a nearby building, and twisted to meet his attacker in the air. After a few seconds, Ranma and what appeared to be an old troll battled furiously in the air. After the trade off ended, they fell past each other. Ranma landed in a roll, clutching his ribs and testing the shoulder of his other arm. The old woman landed on the end of her staff, before she turned to glare at the pigtailed young man.  
  
"At least you have skill," she growled, bracing to attack again, "Too bad, in the end."  
  
"Great Grandmother, STOP!" The exotic looking young lady shouted, causing the old woman to pause, "We no kill the miserable yak fucker."  
  
"Yak fucker?" Nabiki repeated, before turning to look at Ranma with a frantically questioning expression. Ranma shrugged his good shoulder in response, before turning back to his stare off against the old woman.  
  
"What's going on? Why are you attacking Ranma?" Nabiki demanded of the younger woman.  
  
"Because," the other young woman pointed her bonbori mace at Ranma; a few bits of powdered concrete fell from its rounded end, "HE SHAMPOO BABY DADDY!" 


	19. Who yo Baby Daddy'

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
'Talk'n about Bitches in Heat'  
  
  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Snap," Ranma finished for Nabiki.  
  
"Is true!" Shampoo exclaimed with adimant yet menacing nods to compliment her statement, "So Pig-bastard husband return China with Shampoo so Shampoo can make life miserable for monkey-fucker, yes?"  
  
"Waitaminnute... hold up, time out," Nabiki exclaimed, pulling herself out of Ranma's arms. She turned to speak to Shampoo, but only managed to gap like a fish out of water. After a few moments, she managed to squeak out, "Baby?"  
  
"Yes," Cologne confirmed, as she balefully glared at the pigtailed young man, "Unfortunately, this miserable example of a male managed to get my Great-granddaughter knocked up." She turned to Shampoo, "Honestly, if you were that horny, I would have gladly pitched in to pay for one of the male prositutes in our village!"  
  
Shampoo looked away, shamefaced, "He say he love Shampoo."  
  
Without turning back around, Nabiki's right hand shot out, and snagged the back of Ranma's windjacket, as he was trying to sneak off. "Did he, now?" She asked in a deceptively sweet voice that sent chills through everyone.  
  
Ranma chuckled nervously, before Shampoo could respond, "Heh, you see, it's like this, Nabiki. You know they were just words and shit..." He immidiately shut up, once Nabiki turned to look at him. Last he recalled, Nabiki's eyes were brown, not blue and glowing.  
  
"Please, do not speak at this moment," Nabiki asked politely in a casual voice. Instead of the fear most sentient beings would feel from facing such a considerably hostile Nabiki, Ranma felt a great deal of anger rise up out of him, but quickly squelched it, realizing it would only make things worse at the moment.  
  
"She's dangerous, that one," Cologne mumbled in awe. The battle aura she was radiating was far from anything usual she would have encountered; it was putting the Soul of Ice to shame.  
  
"So, let me get this straight," Nabiki mused, "Ranma passed through your village, seduced you, knocked you up, and left you behind."  
  
"Hey! Hold up! That shit ain't mine!" Ranma exclaimed in his defense. Nabiki merely looked back to him, quelling any further responce.  
  
"IS TOO YOURS!" Shampoo shouted, "PISSDRINKER NO DENY TAKE SHAMPOO CHASTITY!!!"  
  
"If you had kept your damn legs closed, we wouldn't be in this situation, would we?" Cologne mumbled to herself, probably a bit too loud for her own good.  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER?"  
  
"Ah... nothing... nothing important..." the elderly woman quickly replied, sweating somewhat nervously at the maddened, wide-eyed stare the young Amazon was giving her.  
  
"Excuse us," Nabiki politely requested, as she walked behind the corner with Ranma in tow. "Explain."  
  
"Hey! I don't know what she's tripp'n on, but we all know that ain't my kid, yo!"  
  
Nabiki somewhat relaxed at that, but still felt a certain betrayal at Ranma's actions, even if it was before he met her, "Good, at least you used protection, right?"  
  
"Hell no, can't feel nutt'n wit' dat' shit. We went it raw!"  
  
Nabiki's face tensed up again, "She was on contraceptives?"  
  
"Na, didn't ask all that shit," Ranma retorted, feeling himself relax as he got to explain himself.  
  
"Did you actually have sex with her?" Nabiki's voice had a pleading quality to it, as if she was hoping for the negative reply.  
  
"Oh fuck yea! Bitch was tight as hell, too! Had to work my shit in there! Pretty sure she was a virgin, dayam, I miss that..." Ranma quickly dropped that line of conversation, when he noticed Nabiki's expression darkening with each word. "Ah... but not as tight as your shit. I mean, nutt'n compares to you, you know that, 'aight?"  
  
"So..." Nabiki's tight voice strained out, as she ignored the ill-spoken compliment, "How... pray tell... do you know she isn't having your child?"  
  
"Oh, shit, I just asked her if she was on the rag. Since she didn't know what I was talk'n about, I knew it wasn't that time of month!" Ranma smiled, as his shade gained a seemingly happy reflection, while shrugging innocently, "See? It's all good!"  
  
Nabiki's tight face broke into a cracked smile...  
_______________________  
  
"They is running off," Shampoo stated with irritation, as she tapped her foot impatiently.  
  
"They're not running off," Cologne replied in an exasperated tone, "They wouldn't get far if they did."  
  
"If Ranma run off, and Shampoo no get husband, Shampoo be laughing stock of whole village!"  
  
"We both won't let that happen," the Matriarch stated, adimantly, "We will hunt him down to the ends of the Earth, if need be. And we will break him, just as woman was meant to do to such lowly men as-"  
  
Cologne jumped to the side, as the wall next to her exploded outward, with Ranma's body exiting. The unconcious young man came to a stop right at a dumbfounded Shampoo's feet, and both Amazons looked up to where the human projectile originated.  
  
Nabiki stepped through the hole, dusting her hands off, and taking a breath of relief. "I' sorry about that, would you like to come to my home, so that we may talk about this in more private quarters?" She asked, politely, and courteously.  
_______________________  
  
"Thank you, this is lovely tea," Cologne complimented. Kasumi smiled in response.  
  
"Why thank you, we hardly use this blend, exept for when we have guests."  
  
"Anyhow," Nabiki started, after taking a sip from her own cup, "How long has it been since you and Ranma..." She trailed off, looking at her boyfriend, as he took a swig from the bottle of sake he commendeered from her father's stash. Soun himself mumbled that Ranma would replace the bottle, but didn't get up from his game of Shougi with Genma. Genma was sweating nervously at the presence of the Amazons, not even really paying attention to the game at all; what with him stealing glances back to the side.  
  
"It one month. Shampoo and Great-Grandmother track Yak-shit bather across China to Japan."  
  
"If Shampoo does not return with Ranma as her husband, she will lose all honor with her peers and betters, and thus, will be unable to take her rightful place as my successor later on."  
  
"Heh, you talk'n like that's my problem, but I ain't hear'n that."  
  
"Oh, it is your problem," Cologne started in a menacing tone, "You see, if you don't acknowledge it's your problem... I'll create a great deal more problems for you to contend with that would make fatherhood seem simplistic in comparison."  
  
"Oh, now you be talk'n funny!" Ranma retorted, almost slamming his bottle into the table, "Shit, I think I'm getting fucking tanked already, it sounded like you were threat'n me!"  
  
Cologne only replied with a stare that openly displayed her malice, anger, and contempt for the young man, while Ranma pretended to be unphased by it.   
  
"And you're positive it's Ranma's child?" Nabiki asked, really not wanting to deal with all this drama.  
  
"Shampoo with no other!" the young Amazon exclaimed, adimantly.  
  
"Shit! Don't be giving us them fables!" Ranma retorted, "What about that one nigga. You know the one I'm talk'n about... That... that one G! Don't be act'n ignorant!"  
  
"This is just like an episode of Jerry Springer," Akane commented from the side, as she watched events unfold.  
  
"Shampoo no know who you talk about! Ranma is Shampoo baby daddy! You no deny!"  
  
"Um um um um... shit, what was that OG's name?" Ranma continued, ignoring Shampoo's retort, "You know! Tha nigga from your village that you were tight with!"  
  
"It's futile trying to invent people to save your own worthless hide!"  
  
"Yo, Pops! Help me out hea!"  
  
"Leave me out of this, boy," Genma stated firmly, "This is your mess, you clean it up."  
  
"Oh, so it's like that, huh?" Ranma growled back, before his eyebrows raised in recollection, "SNAP! MOUSSE! That was his fucking name!"  
  
"You said she was a virgin when you screwed her," Nabiki replied, factually.  
  
"Shampoo no like word 'screwed'," Shampoo stated in distaste.  
  
"Hold up, this shit happened AFTER all that went down with me and the ho' there!" Genma leapt just in time, to help Cologne, Nabiki, and Akane restrain the quickly enraged lavender haired amazon. Ranma smirked in the face of her fury, and leaned back easily from the table, while taking another swig from the bottle of sake, "And you know she had to get some again after me. No woman can keep their shit locked, once it's been hit!"  
  
At that moment, a knarled staff, two mallets, a bonbori mace, and a frying pan collided with Ranma's head in unison.  
  
"Idiot," exclaimed Cologne, Nabiki, Akane, Shampoo, and Kasumi, in unison.  
  
Though her pride demanded her to drop Ranma like an embarrasing habit, she just couldn't find the strength to. Plus, if felt like admitting she failed with him. "Before we jump to conclusions, I suggest we have a blood test done, to confirm in full truth that Ranma is the father."  
  
"Oh, hell no! You ain't gett'n any of my blood for this!" Ranma stated, sitting up from his impromptu nap.  
  
"Ranma, you have no say in this," Akane answered for Nabiki, since she was only feeling exasperated, not homicidal, "You will participate in the blood test. We'll go see Dr. Tofu tomorrow about it."  
  
"I told ya, you ain't gett'n a drop from me!"  
  
"Shampoo no want drop..."  
  
Ranma dashed back from the table, just as a butterfly sword carved through it, "SHAMPOO WANT POOLS OF IT!!!"  
  
"EASE UP, EASE UP!!!" Ranma commanded, as he ran and dodged the nearly completely wild sword swings from the currently hormonally driven Amazon (Hell you be runn'n and shit, too, no matter how hard you think you are!)  
  
"In the meantime, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need to," Soun offered.  
  
"Tendou?" Genma stared at his training partner incredulously, before dropping his voice to a stage whisper, "You do realize that this could completely jeapordize our dreams, right?"  
  
"Your move, Saotome," Soun replied with an uncaring voice.  
_______________________  
  
Overlooking Tokyo, a young man wearing a white billowing winter jacket, Fubu Jeans, and Wu-Wear Hiking boots stood with an emotionless expression on his face. He moved one of his hands from his coat pocket, and used the index finger on it to push his Lenon glasses further up his nose, and then tosse his head to the side, causing his long jet black ponytail to be shaken from his shoulder. He had finally arrived.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, I've found you at last..." 


	20. We Gots HEAT!

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
  
  
  
"Ranma, for me?" Nabiki pleaded, clasping her hands on Ranma's leg, as her eyes glistened with desperate [crocodile] tears.  
  
Ranma kept his expression straight, and his arms folded, "No! Yo, how many times am I gonna have to say it? You gett'n hard of hear'n or something?"  
  
Nabiki sobbed, while looking out of the corner of her eye to catch Ranma's mouth twitch just barely at her display, "I... I just want us to be happy! If we could just prove that you're not the father now, we could get on with our lives." Nabiki looked back at her supposed boyfriend, "If you care about me, *really* care about me, you'd do this, for me. Okay... honey?"  
  
Ranma's mouth began to twist from the straight line it was in, before he forced himself to look away, and around the decor of Nabiki's room, "And I'm tell'n ya, it ain't mine! Now why you gonna want to go against my trust like that?"  
  
The middle Tendou sister dropped the act, and stared at Ranma with the coldest expression she could muster, "Alright, Saotome, let me put it this way. If we find out *later* instead of *now* that Shampoo's baby is yours, there *will NOT* be any level of *Hell* that can even hope to *equate* to what I'll put you through!"  
  
The pigtailed martial artist took the deadly serious threat in stride. "Eh, what you gonna do about it?" He challenged, attempting not to give ground.  
  
Nabiki's face grew into a maniacal glee, "'Do', Saotome?" Nabiki turned away, throwing her hands into the air, while emitting a slight giggle that caused Ranma to shift a bit uncomfortably (not from nervousness, discomfort, or course). "Honestly, I don't know what i'm going to 'do'!" She then whirled back to him, and put her face directly in front of his, wearing an expression that made her previous nitrogen cool one seem caring, "Because I have never been this pissed in my life..."  
  
Ranma himself started to become defensive, "Fuck this, you ain't gonna be trust'n me, I guess we got nutt'n more to say, do we?" He started to get up, before Nabiki's hand shot to just above his shoulder to clutch the back of her desk chair he was sitting in. Ranma tensed at the sound of metal creaking and plastic cracking.  
  
"Listen, and listen carefully," Nabiki said in just above a whisper, "If you walk out of my room now, you better keep walking out the house, and out the front gates, because you. Will. Not. be welcome back in this house."  
  
Nabiki didn't need to remove his shades. Ranma stared back at her defiantly for a few moments, before he visibly sagged, to her relief. It told her that he was at least willing to work for her; a glimmer of hope, sure, but one nonetheless.  
  
"Ranma," Nabiki started in a softer, more resigned voice, "Why are you so against this blood test?"  
  
Ranma opened his mouth to speak, before snapping it shut, and turning his face away from her. For almost five minutes, Nabiki stared at him, waiting for an answer, before she became fustrated. "Fine, we'll talk about this tomorrow when I've calmed down. I don't think I can deal with this at the moment." She turned away from her apparent boyfriend, who was teetering on the edge of 'ex', "I think it would be best if you kept out of my sight for the rest of the day."  
  
She didn't turn around, as she heard Ranma's snort, the springs of her deskchair squeak from the release of his weight, her door open, and then shut. Once she heard his footsteps descending down the stairs, she sagged to her knees with her head bowed downwards.  
  
"Ranma, you jerk."  
_____________________________  
  
Nabiki woke up the next morning to the sounds of heavy combat in the backyard. She lifted herself off her bed, noticing she was still wearing the clothes she had on yesterday. At that moment, her stomach also reminded her that she had opted to skip dinner, presuming that Ranma and/or the Amazons would be present.  
  
Finally rising out of her bed, she approached her vanity mirror to see what state she was in. The tear treads were still visible on her face, allowing her to know that she had probably cried most of the night. She ryly thought to herself how disgusted she would have been with herself a month ago, to see herself in this state, but brushed the idea to the side. The battle being waged outside sounded a lot more heated than usual; Ranma's father must have been just as mad at his son as everyone else was.  
  
Deciding she didn't want to see Ranma just yet, and that he would be busy with his 'training' for a little while yet, judging from the pitch of the combat outside, she made her way down to the kitchen to get something to eat to take back to her room.  
  
She arrived downstairs to find Kasumi and Nabiki staring out the front, watching the fight with slightly concerned expressions.  
  
"Damn, they're really going at it," Akane stated, not looking away. Nabiki wondered exactly when her younger sister began to casually swear. "Not that the punk doesn't deserve it"  
  
Kasumi nodded in response, " Mr. Saotome doesn't seem happy with Ranma-kun." Kasumi cupped her hands over her mouth, "Could you possibly hit him harder, Mr. Saotome?"  
  
Nabiki approached from behind, deciding her curiosity needed to be sated. Indeed, Ranma and his father's expressions were just as intense as the fists flying between them, as they attempted to outright pound the shit out of each other in the front yard.  
  
"What's up?" Ranma shouted out to his father, as they broke off one particuarly potent tradeoff, "You act'n like you can fade me!"  
  
"Boy, what you did was unforgiveable!" Genma announced, bracing himself, and then leaping at his charge.  
  
Ranma matched the leap, causing them both to collide in battle once again. "What the fuck is this all about? You ain't pissed about Shampoo, are you?"  
  
"Listen, Ranma!" the elder Saotome commanded, "To forgive the insult on your fiancee's honor is one thing, but to make her cry... until four in the morning no less..."  
  
Nabiki cringed.  
  
"Oh my, I clocked her at almost five," Kasumi commented.  
  
Nabiki glowered.  
  
"I think she inherited it from Dad," Akane added.  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes to the heavens, wondering if the gods had *any* mercy in them.  
  
Ranma baulked, before his expression darkened. "It's NONE of your damn business what the fuck goes on between me and Nabiki, you fat bastard!" Ranma this time launched for the attack.  
  
Genma didn't follow, and snorted, as he grabbed his son's outstretched baseball bat, and twisted towards the fish pond, "Since you don't understand girls, Ranma," he bellowed, "Maybe you should *be* one for a while!"  
  
"Why, Mr. Saotome, that's a wonderful idea!"  
  
Just as Ranma-chan was exiting the pond, she found herself desperately pressed in defense by a two-foot blur. Everyone stood, agap, as Ranma was quite frankly, being handed her ass.  
  
"*Ahem*, Genma cleared his throat, just as his son turned daughter came skidding headfirst to his feet, "It looks as if Elder Cologne will be handling your morning training for the time being." Truthfully, he was rather happy to see Ranma be humbled so easily.  
  
The Amazon matriarch walked up to the elder Saotome, and used Ranma-chan's stomach as a footstool, while her staff came to rest upon the unconcious girl's sternum. If Ranma were awake, she would have noted a peculiar tingle pass through her.  
  
"If that is what you wish," Cologne replied, smirking at the thinly veiled permission to humiliate the man's child at every possible opportunity she could get.  
  
Nabiki quietly snuck back to the kitchen for an apple, then back upstairs, deciding she didn't quite want to even face her family at the moment. Nabiki Tendou, the unflappable, caught crying until the wee hours of the morning...  
_____________________________  
  
Ranma stalked back into the house, finding everyone satiated from an exellent breakfast by Kasumi, made extra special since she knew Ranma would be missing it.  
  
"'Aight," Ranma-chan growled, "Ya'll got your clown'n done. There better be something left for me. Ain't right for a nigga to be left unconcious and starv'n..."  
  
Cologne didn't turn to look at the redhead, but spoke casually, with no guile or ire, "I left you an extra kettle on the stove, Ranma."  
  
Everyone turned to stared, confused at the old woman.  
  
Ranma eyed the woman for a moment, before nodding her head slightly, "Coo'... coo'..." With that, she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Um, I thought you agreed that it would be best if Ranma remained a girl for a while?" Kasumi asked the question on everyone's mind. Cologne shrugged, and took another sip of her tea.  
  
"FUCK!!!!"  
  
anything light that was not held down was pulled in by the vortex caused by the passing of a human blur, followed by a splash in the fish pond.  
  
Everyone once again turned to stare at Cologne, who was smiling a satisfied, contentful smile. 


	21. Just me against da WORLD, Baby'

Ranma: Just Plain Hard  
"YOU HAGGARD ASS, SHRIVELED UP, BUCK TOOTHED, DRIED OUT, DIRTY BITCH!!" Ranma shouted, as she bolted, soaking wet, into the tearoom with her fist cocked back. Cologne continued to sip her tea with her right hand, as her left hand calmly picked up her staff, and swatted the enraged redhead into the wall to the left of her. Ranma peeled off the wall like a weakly hung piece of wallpaper, before flattening to the ground.  
  
"Oh my, Ranma seems very upset," Kasumi stated in a rather amused tone, "Would anybody like anymore tea?"  
  
"What's wrong with the boy?" Genma asked, more curious than concerned, "I'll have some more, if you please."  
  
"Ah, nothing that *she* doesn't deserve," the Amazon Matriarch stated, as she set down her tea, "Ranma currently finds even the most tepid water too hot for her..."  
  
"...Make change back to boy impossible!" Shampoo stated in realization, "Cat tongue pressure point!"  
  
"So, you had been paying attention," Cologne beemed at her heir.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME, YOU-SHIT!!!" The last part was exclaimed as the elder slammed the point of her staff into the looming girl's foot. Just as the exclamation finished, Cologne shoved the head of her staff into Ranma's mouth, smashing it against the roof of her mouth and lodging it, and then swung Ranma around like a stick with a ribbon tied to it, slamming her head-first to the other side of her, avoiding hitting Shampoo and Akane.  
  
"Hmm, I'm afraid my tea's becoming a bit cold," Cologne stated, before dumping the contents of her cup onto the prone girl, earning a shrill scream of pain, before the body rushed out to the carp pond out in the yard.  
  
::SPLASH!!::  
  
"The Cat tongue pressure point?" Soun enquired, "The legends behind that particular tsubo are shrouded in secrecy..."  
  
"Indeed," Cologne replied in her most serious tone, "It's a pressure point so potent, the Man-Chus put anyone with an inkling of knowledge of it to death."  
  
"LOOKS LIKE THE DICKHEADS MISSED ONE!" Ranma shouted, attempting to slam her fist down onto the top of the old woman.  
  
Cologne picked up her tea again, and took a slight sip of it, while everyone else looked at the Ranma-chan shaped hole going through the ceiling and the roof.  
  
"So, Ranma can't change back to a guy if he can't tolerate hot water!" Akane exclaimed in slight shock.  
  
"Is what Shampoo say," the younger Amazon stated, irritatingly.  
  
"Oh, could you pass me the honey?" Akane replied. Shampoo nodded cheerfully, and complied.  
  
"I think this way, it's safe to presume that Ranma will oblige us to fulfill his punishment until-"  
  
"PUNISH THIS, BITCH!" Ranma attempted to take the old woman's head off with a fierce looking crescent kick. It stopped abruptly, just almost touching Cologne's ear.  
  
"Oh.... my," Kasumi replied, looking at the staff that had been slammed head first between Ranma's legs, against the pelvic bone at the pelvic arch. If the redhead were any lesser a martial artist, she would currently need an artificial hip.  
  
"GACK!" Ranma tumbled back, the pain of a near fracture putting her out for a bit.  
  
Cologne blinked, realizing something was amiss with the blow, before she sighed, "I must be losing it in my twighlight years. I forgot he wasn't a boy at the moment..."  
  
Genma, Soun, Akane, and Kasumi attempted to cross their legs at the low sitting table in sympathy.  
  
"Don't I get a say in what his punishment should be?"  
  
Everyone at the table turned to find Nabiki standing in the doorway, wearing makeup a bit heavier than she usually put on, apparently having applied it in a rush. She leveled a glare at everyone present, disapproving of what they were doing. She then gave a quick glance down at the prone girl, clutching her crotch, and allowed a quick flicker of concern and sympathy pass across her face.  
  
"Good morning... Nabiki, was it?" Cologne greeted, "I'm sorry that your slumber was... troubled."  
  
The middle Tendou daughter's eye twitched at the comment, but she let it by, "Even if he is being a jerk, it's still his decision. Unlock his curse."  
  
Cologne raised an eyebrow, as everyone at the table stared at her, curiously, "That is a bold demand, young lady? Why is it you still show concern for the worthless young welp?"  
  
Nabiki's expression never faltered, "This isn't about my concern. If Ranma's going to face up to responcibility, it should be as a man. Besides which, it's not fair to him if we find out that Shampoo really isn't carrying his child."  
  
"You calling Shampoo liar?" the lavender haired girl sneered, immidiately standing in Nabiki's face.  
  
Nabiki returned Shampoo's heated, angry glare with a cold, vicious one, "I don't know you, or your history, so I won't make any accusations. But right now, it's Ranma's word against yours, and we still have yet to prove either one of you is false." Nabiki turned her thoughts inward, "Please, don't prove her right, Ranma..."  
  
"But from the boy's own refusal to participate, we can assuradly conclude matters in my Great-Granddaughter's case," Cologne replied, diplomatically, not wanting to let things become too complicated until she had the boy where she truly wanted him... journying to meet his ancestors.  
  
"Like I said, we'll just wait until we have proof," Nabiki stated in a neutral tone, still staring Shampoo in the eyes.  
  
"And I ain't gonna be wrong, you know dis!"  
  
"Ranma, shut up," Nabiki commanded, internally groaning that the redhead finally woke up.  
  
"Shampoo act'n like I'm the only one that got a taste of that twat! Girl's like a flat tire, she NEEDS her holes plugged!"  
  
"Ranma, shut UP!" Nabiki ordered again, stepping back from a growling Amazon.  
  
"She so loose, Depends couldn't contain her leakage!"  
  
"She-male just keep talking," Shampoo seethed from under the dogpile of Soun, Genma, Akane, and Kasumi.  
  
"She's so hard up, she's AC, DC, and 9 volt!"  
  
"FOR KAMI'S SAKES, SOMEONE SHUT HIM UP!!!" Kasumi screamed, as Shampoo steadily crawled towards the seemingly oblivious redhead.  
  
"Look! I'm even a girl, and she's trying to get my jock! Bitch's a fucking fiend!"  
  
"SHAMPOO, WAIT UNTIL WE GET HIM OUT TO INTERNATIONAL WATERS!!!" Cologne ordered, now also joining the dogpile.  
________________  
  
"I don't see why I'm being kicked out," Ranma grumbled, as she stared intensely at the sidewalk she was walking on through her mirror shades.  
  
Akane was volinteered to accompany the redhead, being the only one of the girls that could even reasonably speak to him, as Nabiki decided she didn't want to be around her fiancee and boyfriend for a bit longer, "You're not being kicked out, it was just best that you head on out for a while and let everyone chill out, okay?"  
  
Ranma continued to grumble under her breath, remaining inaudible to Akane. The youngest Tendou adjusted her bandanna, and straightened her thin black jacket down over the top part of her matching leggings, "Ranma, why won't you get the test done, if you're so sure?"  
  
"Because it don't need to be done!" Ranma replied, tersely, "Why you too gonna ride my ass about this?"  
  
"Look, Ranma," Akane replied, managing to keep her cool, "You're still cool with me, but I'm not about to let you get away with playing with my sister like this..." She pointedly forgot about the small slight her own sister hadn't forgiven her for just yet, "If you're going to act like a sad little punk, I hope they do take you back to China. At least then, Nabiki can get over you."  
  
Ranma stopped rigid, before turning on Akane, "Hold on! I'm NOT about to just let Nabiki drop me because some-"  
  
"NIGGA, BREAK YO'SELF!!!"  
  
Ranma shoved Akane away, as the redhead herself leapt into the air, avoiding the shower of weapons that imbedded themselves where she had been standing.  
  
As she acended, a white blur attempted to intercept her in the air, but was evaded by several skillful twists and parries. The intercepter landed first, revealing itself to be a young man with long black hair that flowed down the back of his white jean jacket, wearing black baggy jeans and black hiking boots.  
  
He turned, just as the redhead landed, and thrust a chain that seemed to come from the sleeve of his jacket. "Mousse," Ranma-chan stated in a hard voice, as she threw an ax kick that parried away the length of the chain. For several tense moments, Akane watched the two stare at each other intensely, before they rushed at one another. Ranma was darting in low, as the newcomer rushed at her with his hands in the sleeves of his opposite arms. They met each other midway, with Ranma thrusting her fist at Mousse's face, with the long haired Chinese native doing the same.  
  
The barrel of Ranma's gun was aimed at point blank range the other boy's face, as Mousse's dagger was not even a centimeter from her's.  
  
Akane held her breath, waiting for the next move, and felt a jolt go through her, just as they made it.  
  
"SHIT, NIGGA! IT'S BEEN A MINNIT!" Ranma shouted, pulling the other boy into a hug.  
  
"Yo, B, lemme give you the respect!" Mousse replied, eagerly returning the fraternal hug.  
  
Akane finally picked herself off the ground from her facefault. "Are these surprise ambushes going to become habit around here?" she asked to no one in particular.  
________________  
  
Nabiki sat at the desk in her room, just staring down at it. She couldn't even think straight at the moment, as much turmoil as she was feeling. She continued to rest her cheek against her hand, which was proped up by the elbow, when her door opened silently.  
  
Feminine steps stealtily approached her from behind, and stopped just before her.  
  
"What do you want," Nabiki asked, not even bothering to turn around.  
  
"Shampoo make Nabiki forget about Ranma, is want, yes?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Nabiki asked, still facing away from Shampoo.  
  
"Shampoo use Xi Fa Xiang Gao, no remember Ranma ever again, is good, yes?"  
  
Nabiki finally turned around to the other girl, and looked at her in consideration. After a full minute, Nabiki wiped a tear that had managed to escape away, before shifting her eyes down, and just barely shaking her head.  
  
Shampoo gave a slight nod at the answer, before walking out the room, and closing the door behind her. The Amazon leaned back against it, and sighed, as the girl on the other side leaned back against her seat, and did the same. 


	22. Just barely Gett'n By

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
"Nigga, what the Hell you doin' up in these hills?" Ranma asked, leaning back against the wall she, Akane, and Mousse stood next to.   
  
"Aw, B, came to warn ya about some qualms back at the berg," Mousse replied in an easy, laid back drawl, much slower than even Ranma's tone. The Amazon squatted onto the ground, before continuing, "I was hear'n something about Cologne hunting for you."  
  
"Damn, kid, you need to work on the quickness. She already gone down and been start'n shit with me! Her and your girl!"  
  
"His girl?" Akane interjected, trying to make her presence noted for at least an introduction.  
  
Mousse turned to Akane, and lowered the round-rim glasses to his eyes, "Ranma, who's your girl?"  
  
"Oh, yo this thug ain't my girl!" Ranma corrected, before ducking a backslap from said 'Thug', "Yo, chill, 'Kane, I'm jus' clown'n!"  
  
Akane snorted, before turning, and bowing to Mousse, "Akane Tendou."  
  
"And a pleasure to meet you, Akane Tendou," Mousse replied easily, tracing his hand down her arm, eliciting her to raise it, and took her hand into his. Akane turned to Ranma with a slightly unsettled expression, as Mousse kissed the back of her hand.  
  
"Heh, that's my dawg!" Ranma-chan chortled, "Kid's a true playa!"  
  
"It isn't a thing, when I have two such lovely visions before me."  
  
Ranma thrust her chest out, while tilting her head to the side with a coy smile, "So, where you at?"  
  
"Where *you* at, girl?" Mousse answered, stepping closer.  
  
"You gonna tell me what's up then?" Ranma replied, stepping up close to Mousse's face. They stood, looking at each other for the longest of moments.  
  
"Ah..." Akane started to step back, feeling slightly disturbed at the display before her.  
  
Akane stopped, as both nearly collapsed in laughter, "Uh, what was that all about? You two were... uh... you do know that... well..."  
  
"Oh SHIT! You shoulda SEEN your face!" Ranma managed to barely state between guffaws, "Foo' knows I'm a guy!"  
  
"Heh, yeah, Ranma may be easy on the eyes like this, but there isn't any chemistry gonna be happening," The Chinese young man explained, calming himself down. "I mean, not like what you and me got going right now..."  
  
"Pardon?" Akane raised an eyebrow, shifting her weight slightly for subtle defense.  
  
"Hey, cool, kid, don't be teas'n her ass, now," Ranma warned, folding her arms over her breasts, swearing at the discomfort, and refolding them under her chest.  
  
"Heh, alright," Mousse placated, giving Akane a light smirk, "You're cute and all, but it is against my fortune that you're not quite my type."  
  
"Oh, and that 'type' would be?" Akane asked in an arched tone, feeling somewhat dejected.  
  
"Oh, I like the girls with..." Mousse started to bring his hands to his chest, before catching Ranma shaking her head, very slightly, out the corner of his eye, "...height."  
  
Akane watched Mousse quicky position his hands over his head with a half-lidded gaze, having a suspicion of what he was about to say, "I see..."  
  
"Anyways, yo, it's good to see your ass again," Ranma quickly interjected, changing the subject.  
  
Mousse made a show of looking Ranma up and down, causing the redhead to glare from behind her shades. "And like I said, it's always good to see you in this form, but lemme get a look at your trueness, B'."  
  
Akane blinked, as Mousse produced a kettle from nowhere, and attepted to dump it onto Ranma's head. Simultaniously, Ranma leapt back, as Akane quickly brought up her sleeved arm to block Ranma from the hot liquid.  
  
Mousse only needed a second to catch on, "Reason you're trying to stay a girl? Not that I'm gonna complain or anything..."  
  
"Some damn pressure point that evil bitch up there got on me," Ranma groused, not really feeling the energy to put the sufficient vehemance into it.  
  
"Ah, the Cat's Tongue," Mousse clarified for himself, before putting the kettle away.  
  
"Hold up, hold up, you know about this?"  
  
Mousse shrugged, now leaning himself against the wall, "Sounds like the type of thing the old voodoo biddy would do."  
  
"You know how to turn it off?" Ranma asked, hopefully.  
  
Mousse sadly shook his head, "Sorry, B', no idea." Before Ranma's expression completely fell, Mousse added, "But I see what I can find out for ya, cool?"  
  
"Yeah, is cool," Ranma replied in a somewhat resigned tone, before grasping Mousse's hand for a slightly elaborate handshake. "Yo, tell you what. I ain't feel'n like bounc'n back to tha crib, let's go find somewhere to chit-chat. That good?"  
  
"I'm with that," Mousse replied.  
  
"I don't mind if you two don't," Akane answered.  
__________________________  
  
Shampoo glared at the cup of ginger tea in her hands that Kasumi had given her. If she wanted, Nabiki would never have known that she could wipe her memory, much less know about it or see her coming to do it. As much as she hated the sweaty defication of a diseased monkey, he was, by her own people's laws, married to him, and the middle Tendou sister was an obstacle in her way.  
  
The Amazon sighed, as she slumped onto the table, being careful not to overcurl her visible paunch. She didn't want to have to harm Nabiki if she could avoid it. If Shampoo had her way, she would have said good riddence, and raised her child herself as far away from the bastard as possible, while Nabiki actually seemed very interested, in fact, actually (much to Shampoo shock and pity) possibly in love.  
  
"Hmph, she no know what love is," Shampoo mumbled to herself.  
  
"Who doesn't?"  
  
"Oh, is nice girl Kasumi," Shampoo looked up to the girl that had entered the tea room, before turning her gaze back to her cooling cup of tea.  
  
Kasumi noticed the lack of enthuesiasm in the greeting, but didn't let it get to her. Shampoo was obviously having a great deal of difficulty with her teenage pregancy, and Kasumi hoped at least to make her stay more comfortable, "Were you talking about Nabiki?"  
  
Shampoo nodded, before speaking, "What she see in Ranma? He no good for her!" Shampoo's voice quieted, "He no good for Shampoo..."  
  
Kasumi considered what she was about to say. If she spoke what was on her mind, she may very well turn Shampoo's attitude for Ranma around to a true interest, instead of merely curbing her animosity. That would in turn pit her directly against Nabiki in every fashion. On the other hand, it may at least allow a modecum of civility between the three, at least long enough for them to work things out.  
  
"Ranma really is a sweet boy," Kasumi began, looking directly at Shampoo, who returned with an incredulous stare, "He's... just..."  
  
"He arrogant, selfish, undiciplined, not nice, bad-"  
  
"But if you look past his less appealing qualities," Kasumi interjected, not wanting to be privy to the loooooong list of Ranma's faults, "He's caring, I *think* he can be sensitive, but that may have just been a moodswing. He won't hesitate to help if you need it-"  
  
"He no care about Shampoo or baby, he no want to help Shampoo!"  
  
"That's not fair, Shampoo," Kasumi replied, now grasping for straws, "He... he's.... he's just..."  
  
"Need Shampoo start list of things Ranma is?" Shampoo enquired with a hostile tone.  
  
Kasumi's expression lit up, as if a revelation had came to her, "That's it, isn't it?"  
  
"What it?"  
  
Instead of responding, Kasumi favored Shampoo with a caring expression, "Just let him explain himself, in his own time. I think if we push him on this, he'll fight everyone even harder."  
  
"Shampoo not know what Kasumi mean, what Ranma is?"  
  
"Just, trust me on this," Kasumi placed her hands over Shampoo's on her cup of tea, "I think in the end, everything will work out okay."  
  
Shampoo nodded, but didn't share the other girl's sentiments.  
__________________________  
  
Akane leaned against the wall of the courtyard of Furinkan High, covering her eyes, "I can't believe you two are doing this..."  
  
Ranma-chan looked down at Akane from her can of beer, "Doin' what?"  
  
"Yo, B," Mousse took another swig of his Sopporo, "So what's this all about?"  
  
"Shit, nigga, thought you already know about it!" Ranma replied, before wiping her mouth.  
  
"You're drinking, under age I might add, IN THE SCHOOL COURTYARD!" Akane nearly screeched the last part, "What if someone catches us?"  
  
"Ah, chill, chica. If they didn't want us doin' dis shit, they wouldn't have put that damn beer vending machine in the back," Ranma replied, before taking another swig, and turning to Mousse. "Yo girl went and got her ass knocked up, and she try'n to pin tha shit on me!"  
  
Mousse groaned, before rolling his eyes and head in irritation. "Damn, why she have to be all like this?"  
  
"Hell, nigga, she yo girl," Ranma commented, innocently.  
  
"So, it really isn't Ranma's baby?" Akane asked, somewhat hopefully.  
  
"Naw, Ranma can't be claim'n my shorty!" Mousse stated, adimantly, "I tell you what, let's get back to your joint, and get all this ruckus cleared up."  
  
"Sound'n tight to me, nigga," Ranma-chan stated, as she leapt from the wall.  
  
"HOLD THERE!"  
  
Both Ranma and Akane froze and groaned. At their exclamation, Mousse turned to find a young man striding up to them in arrogant steps, wearing a kendoist's garb. "Yo, who's he?"  
  
Kuno reached the three, and leveled his bokken towards Mousse, "You there, foul cur, do you not comprehend that these hallowed grounds are a sanctum against such vile spirits that you imbibe? But must you also tempt the fierce but innocent Akane Tendou and this fiery vision of beauty with your atrocious habits? Speak, knave, before I give to temptation to cleave thy tongue from your person!"  
  
"That's tha puta, yo," Ranma clarified for Mousse, leaning closer to her boy, before taking a sip from her beer.  
  
Mousse blinked, before lowering his glasses, and looking back to Kuno, "For reals?"  
  
"Aye, I am the revered 'Puta' of these grounds. The rising star of the kendo world, Tatewake Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!" With that, he raised his bokken into the air, simultaniously inciting lightning to strike in the background.  
  
"Damn, must we always be on cue when he wants to do that?" One of the kendoists that had been on the school grounds for their kendo practice, holding a wooden rod in one hand and sheet metal in the other, enquired.  
  
His fellow Kendoist holding the spotlight shrugged, "He pays us well for it, at least."  
  
"Aw snap!" Mousse replied, before leaning towards Kuno, reaching into his own pocket, and pulling out a wad of cash. The Chinese Amazon tossed it in Kuno's face, causing the kendoist to scrunch up and close his eyes, as the bills flew about and fell to the ground. Since Kuno's eyes were closed, he could only hear the zipper.  
  
"I never had my dick sucked by a man before," Mousse stated, "You got a deep throat, biatch?" 


	23. It's a Hard Knock Life

Ranma: Just Plain Hard  
  
"Ranma still gone?" Nabiki enquired, finally emerging from her room and coming downstairs.  
  
"Hello Nabiki, I believe so," Kasumi replied, as she looked up from her conversation with Shampoo, "Akane's with him, too."  
  
Nabiki felt a twinge of suspicion and jealousy, but decided her own sister wasn't stupid enough to make a second mistake of the same type, especially when she well knew Nabiki's methods of getting even. "Trying to keep him out of trouble, no doubt," the middle Tendou Sister responded, covering her concern.  
  
"I suppose," Kasumi replied.  
  
Shampoo snorted, "Is more like getting Akane in trouble."  
  
"That's not very nice, Shampoo."  
  
The pregnant Amazon continued, undaunted, "He probably get Akane pregnant, too."  
  
Nabiki's chest felt like lead at the comment, while Kasumi's eyes went wide. "Th-that's nothing to joke ab-bout," Kasumi studdered, suddenly growing very concerned.  
  
Shampoo rolled her eyes, "Shampoo no telling joke. He no keep in pants if no get any in not even too, too long."  
  
Before Nabiki's fear could truly peak, the front door slammed open, revealing three hysterical teens. "There's Ranma now, see, Nabiki, you were concerned over nothing," Kasumi consoled.  
  
"BUAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!! OH SHIT... OH SHIT NIGGA. I mean... oh shit!!!" Ranma began running in circles, while flailing around lazily like an orangatan that had been shot in the butt, and was slowly bleeding to death.  
  
Akane fought to get her breath undercontrol, from both running from Kuno all the way home, and laughing so hard, "I-I've n-n-never seen Kuno so mad! I mean, when you..." Akane pointed to the long haired boy that neither Nabiki or Kasumi recognized, "... and you took out your... and told him to s-suck it.... heh heh heh ha ha haaaaa!!!"  
  
The boy in the white coat shrugged, "Shiiiittt, kid didn't need to go all ballistic and shit. I paid for my damn head and he gonna step down? Ain't got no business sense."  
  
"Yo, yo, I know what it is, he just racist against Chinese!" Ranma commented, before she collapsed to the ground in laughter.  
  
"Fuck, and I'm still hard."  
  
"We have another guest," Kasumi announced for the benefit of others.  
  
"No... no him..." Shampoo whispered with wide eyes, drawing the attention of both Nabiki and Kasumi.  
  
"So, you know him, Shampoo?" Nabiki enquired, pointing to the newcomer.  
  
At the mention of his name, Ranma, Akane, and the young man that was with them quickly went silent. "Mousse," Shampoo growled, almost making the name sound like a curse even further damning than she would say the word 'Ranma'.  
  
Mousse stepped forward, gently nudging everyone out of the way. Taking a deep breath, and clearing his throat, he addressed the pregnant girl, "Shampoo... I heard about our kid, and I just want to let you know..." he knelt down at the table opposite of Shampoo, and grasped one of her hands in both of his, "That I'm gonna be a trooper. I'm not going to abandon our kid, you hear? We in this togetha, thick and thin, through some hard times. I'm here to take care of business, you hear?"  
  
Shampoo blinked at the touching proclimation made by the male Amazon, slammed him over the head with the tea table, stomped on it, produced a steel tentspike and large hammer, and positioned the tip of the spike over the lower center of the table, about where Mousse's crotch would be.  
  
Akane, Nabiki, Ranma, and Kasumi all barely managed to wrestle the girl away before she performed a ghetto-style vasectemy. "WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!" Akane shouted, as she did her part to pin Shampoo to the wall with the others.  
  
"Mousse," Shampoo started in a conversational tone, as if she weren't being manhandled by four people at that moment, "What Shampoo say what happen if come near again?"  
  
Mousse moaned, and pushed the table off of himself, "Aww, now we both know you weren't meaning it."  
  
"And what exactly Shampoo mean by 'Make Mousse swallow dick inversely'?"  
  
Akane, Nabiki, Ranma, and Kasumi blinked, and stared at Shampoo. "What the fuck *is* that supposed to mean?" Ranma enquired.  
  
"Shampoo, kid, that was jus' the hormone's talk'n back then," Mousse explained, bringing himself back to standing, and approached the restrained girl, "So why don't we stop harrass'n my boy here, and get to bounc'n back to the 'berg?"  
  
Shampoo snapped at Mousse's face, almost biting off his nose. Her struggles increased, as the four girls holding her worked harder to do so. "YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" Akane shouted, now putting her back into it.  
  
"SHAMPOO GO NOWHERE WITH MOUSSE!" the enraged Amazon shouted, spewing spittle in the male Amazon's face, "SHAMPOO STAY UNTIL RANMA ACCEPT BABY!!!"  
  
"IT' AIN'T MY KID!"  
  
"If you had just kept your damn dick in your pants, none of this would be happening!" Nabiki interjected angrily, as she glared at her supposed boyfriend.  
  
"What the fuck? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU DEN! WHY YOU GONNA BE DRAMATIZING THIS SHIT LIKE IT'S YO BUSINESS?!?" Ranma shouted back, returning Nabiki's glare with equal heat behind her shades.  
  
"Ah... well the blood test will clear that all up, won't it?" Kasumi attempted to quell the rebudding argument before it got too hostile.  
  
"Oh, snap! Yeah, let's go do that shit!" Mousse nodded slowly, feeling he could roll with the idea, "We then can get all this shit wrapped, and head on back to the crib!"  
  
Shampoo stopped struggling, as her furious expression became one of shock and fear. She suddenly gripped her back against the wall, as if trying to escape through it, "No! Mousse no take blood test!"  
  
At the outburst, Akane and Nabiki frowned, before suddenly relinquishing their holds. Kasumi let go next, staring at Shampoo with concern, while Ranma finally let go last, giving Shampoo a look of distain.  
  
"See, this is da shit I was talk'n about!" Ranma exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air, "She gonna be hound'n a nigga like she got facts, and she gonna try to hide from tha truth!"  
  
"Well, we would have gotten to the *truth* if you had taken the damn test yesterday like we demanded!"  
  
"Don't fucking start the fuck up with me, bi-"  
  
"You say it..." Nabiki quickly cut Ranma off, giving her a glare that forced everyone back in fear of getting frostbite. Ranma didn't say a word, instead accepting the middle Tendou sister's staredown with one of her own.  
  
"Damn, we gots drama," Mousse mumbled, earning a nod from Akane.  
  
"Shampoo, are you sure that Ranma is the father?" Kasumi enquired in the most concerned, caring voice she could muster.  
  
"It have to be Ranma! Is no one else!" Shampoo responded, adimantly.  
  
"But you just said that you've also slept with Mousse," Nabiki interjected, causing Shampoo to baulk.  
  
"Shampoo... Shampoo..." The Amazon girl's eyes narrowed, "Shampoo no say such thing."  
  
"No," Akane said in a slightly pitying voice, "But your reaction just now did."  
  
"You're lying to us, Shampoo," Nabiki accused, turning her glare at the Amazon.  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
All eyes turned to the Amazon Matriarch, standing in the doorway.  
  
"G-Great Grandmother..." Shampoo breathed. The pregnant woman began to tremble, realizing she just seriously tripped up.  
  
"LOOK! It's the voodoo-biddy!" Mousse exclaimed, before his head got lodged in the new hole in the ceiling.  
  
"I'm not currently in the mood to put up with your unique brand of idiocy," Cologne commented in a cold voice, as she lowered her staff. She then focused on her Great-Granddaughter with a hard expression, "I've humored your disrespect because of your condition, but I cannot tolerate lying to an Elder, even if I'm your Great-Grandmother." Cologne's voice grew deadly quiet, "Especially if I'm your Great-Grandmother..."  
  
"Shampoo... I..." Shampoo closed her eyes, "Elder, I did not do it in any disrespect to you."  
  
"Japanese, girl. There will be no hiding this from the others like a coward," Cologne commanded, "You've lied to me, Shampoo. You've disregarded the trust placed in one you revere, and damaged it irrepairably. You did this so cavalierly, and you say you intended no disrespect?"  
  
"Sh-Shampoo sorry," she whispered, keeping her eyes closed, but unable to prevent the tears from escaping.  
  
"Hmph, your apology is worthless at this point." Cologne turned her back to leave, "You better pray to our ancestors that the child is indeed Ranmas... or else it would be advised you not return to the village."  
  
Shampoo's eyes snapped open, "Gr-Great-Grandmother? What... what you say?"  
  
"If it isn't Ranma's child, I will no longer recognize you as a member of the Neichiizu, my heir... or my blood." With that, the Amazon Matriarch left the room.  
  
Shampoo slumped against the wall, and slid down in shock. "It... it Ranma baby... it have to be Ranma baby..."  
  
"Damn, that was harsh," Ranma whispered, even sounding sincerely concerned now. The redhead turned back to Shampoo, as she covered her face with both hands in her pitiful position. Nabiki and Kasumi both knelt on either side of the girl, attempting to console her and offer their support. Mousse and Akane both looked towards one another, unsure of how to deal with the situation.  
  
"I-i-it have b-be Ranma... Shampoo... Shampoo no..." the girl's ramblings diminished into Mandarin, as felt the world drop from under her once again. 


	24. Dilemma By Ranma Saotome

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
"Sheeeiiiit, straight up! Woman be talk'n like she got game on me, and she fold'n like a bad hand!" Ranma smugly commented, as she gulped from the bottle of Peach Schnops she scrubbed from Soun's liquer cabinet.  
  
"Damn straight," Mousse added, bobbing his head slightly to the song playing in the Stereo system hidden in his coat, "But hear this, I straighten my woman out, you ain't gonna have any trouble with dat no mo, zat coo'?"  
  
"Damn skippy! I ain't about to be bust'n my ass to raise yo' kid!"  
  
"I hea' dat, kid, I hear dat," Mousse held out his fist to Ranma, allowing her to pound her own onto the top of it, before allowing him to return the favor, and then smacking each other's knuckles against the other's hand.  
  
"That's kind of you Mousse, to be willing to take responsibility if Shampoo-chan is indeed having your child," Kasumi commented, while pointedly looking at the redheaded girl working on her father's alcohol, "But I'm afraid we have yet to prove exactly whom the father is."  
  
"I'll tell you, girl, I'm just the considerate type that way," Mousse easily said, coming to stand next to Kasumi. The girl started slightly at his sudden proximity within her personal space.  
  
Ranma smirked, and snorted, "Damn, you a ruthless nigga. Talk'n about anotha ho' hav'n yo kid, and you already' mack the next available biddy!"  
  
"Hey, even if I got my own hills to live on, don't mean I can't..." Mousse reached around, and hooked his index finger onto the front of Kasumi's blouse collar, and lifted it slightly away from her body "...admire the nearby mountains."   
  
The usually demure girl quickly slapped his hand away, scandalized by the forward behavior, and gave Mousse a warning look. The male Amazon smiled, and held up his hands placatingly while backing away, since he had heard the tell-tale sign of knives sliding together, as the drawer holding them opened.  
  
"Heh, nigga. Kasumi all nice and shit, but you ain't seeing those twin peaks without tha proper permission!" Kasumi got the gist of what Ranma had said, and nodded gratefully for her intervention.  
  
"Hold up, kid, you talk'n like you already viewed them sights."  
  
"Peeked them? Sheeeiiiit! I done fu- er..."  
  
Ranma was interrupted, as Kasumi pulled out a rather large butcher knife, started cutting a nearby carrot with speed and precision. It the knife was a tad larger than needed to cut carrots, and she was glaring at Ranma the entire time.  
  
Mousse cracked a nervous smile, "I think she giv'n you a message..."  
  
The pigtailed girl remained undaunted, "Aren't you supposed to wash dat shit first, befo' you cut it?" Kasumi rolled her eyes, and continued to cut the carrot into overly thin slices.   
  
Akane walked in with a downcrested expression, before coming to sit at the kitchen table, "Nabiki's still with Shampoo, but she's stopped crying, at least."  
  
"Damn, she done got disowned over dis mess! But I ain't got much pity for her."  
  
"How are you going to be cold like that, Ranma?" Akane asked with a slight incredulous tone. Kasumi blinked, and looked directly at her sister.  
  
"Um, what did you say, Akane?"  
  
"She ask'n Ranma why he ain't got no sympathy for the suffering," Mousse explained, missing exactly what Kasumi was curious about. He looked at the pigtailed girl, swishing an empty bottle of peach Schnops around, trying to see if there was anything left in it, "What's up with that? You ain't going to be all cold like that, are ya, B'?"  
  
  
  
"Man, she try'n ta RAILROAD me! She got fucked in her own bed, now she gonna have to sleep wit' da stank funk!"  
  
"And you were probably the one the one that fu-" Akane's eyes shifted to Kasumi, who was looking at her youngest sister with an almost daring expression, "um... had sex with her there..."  
  
Ranma slammed the empty bottle onto the table, getting everyone's attention. "Aiight, I ain't hea'n this shit no mo'. You even saw her play'n tha fo' with the ol' voodoo biddy, and she got straight caught! Don't be look'n to me like I gots heat. I damn fucked her, and dat was the end of my asso-ci-a-tion, we understand'n, or am I speak'n Swahili?"  
  
Mousse, Kasumi, and Akane gave Ranma subdued glares, but allowed the conversation to cease.  
  
___________________________  
  
Nabiki stroked the hair of the girl sleeping on her bed as she sat next to her. Shampoo finally fell asleep, though the middle Tendou sister doubted that it would restful be for her, considering what just happened.  
  
Nabiki could only imagine herself in such a situation. When she and Ranma had... been together, she was ashamed and chagrinned to admit that there wasn't any protection involved. True, it wasn't anywhere near her period, but she had been told before that it didn't necesarily matter. She wasn't sure if that was the truth, and she wasn't intending to chance it. By now, though, she was fairly sure that she wasn't in the same condition as Shampoo, having not experienced any symptoms, the the ordeal still was an alarmer to her.  
  
She was pretty sure her father would decree her and Ranma would be married, but considering what she was beginning to understand about her boyfriend now, she wasn't even so sure she wanted to remain so close to him. Unfortunately, some matters tended not to be decided by rationality.   
  
Truthfully, she wasn't even so sure why she was so attached to him. Possibly because he was one of the first boys that hadn't acted like a bumbling moron when wooing her. Most likely it was simply the fact that Ranma was her first. Whatever the reason, she at least thought she loved him, even if the reasons did seem a little thin in her own mind.  
  
Shampoo wasn't as asleep as Nabiki thought she was, as the Amazon sniffed, and rolled over to face her, "Where..."  
  
"My room. Me and and my sisters helped you into here after your Great Grandmother left."  
  
Shampoo nodded subtly, and pulled her knees up to her stomach, "Shampoo... Shampoo no know what to do."  
  
"There are a few things that can be done, and I promise I'll provide all the help I can give you in this," Nabiki consoled, rubbing Shampoo's shoulder, "But... this is important, Shampoo, I won't think less of you if you were to tell me different from what you've been telling us before. We'll get the answer as soon as we can stop him from being stubborn, but let's get this out right now..."  
  
Nabiki looked Shampoo straight in the eyes with her most sincere expression, "Are you sure Ranma's the father?"  
  
Shampoo shut her eyes to escape Nabiki's gaze. Tucking her chin slightly into her neck, the lavender haired girl began to sniffle as a new wave of tears began.  
  
The reaction was all Nabiki really needed, but she needed to hear it from Shampoo, "Shampoo?"  
  
After the ensuing silence, Shampoo spoke. "H-have t-t-to be... Ranma ch-child..."  
  
Nabiki felt her irritation growing at the non-answer, and was barely able to keep it out of her voice, "Why does it have to be Ranma's? What would make you so absolutely positive of this?"  
  
Almost barely audible, but allowing Nabiki to still hear, Shampoo replied, "B-because... honor..." Shampoo gulped, attempting to calm herself, "Honor... all Shampoo have... now. Shampoo... n-no lose h-h-honor... if cheat on... honorless... unfaithful h-husband..."  
  
At the subtle admission, Nabiki's own eyes watered... "Oh... Shampoo."  
  
Shampoo began to cry once more, as Nabiki enveloped her into the most comforting hug she could produce. She felt the Chinese native's frame tremble against hers, as she fought her own tears off, trying her best to provide support.  
  
___________________________  
  
Akane sat at her desk working on homework, as Nabiki entered her room. Without even asking her little sister the question, Akane nodded, and pointed above them.  
  
It had been a while since Nabiki had done this, but she knew she wasn't in any sincere danger. Nonetheless, she practiced more caution than she ever had when she was younger to climb from Akane's window, and onto the roof. She found Ranma, reclined against the slant of the top of the Tendou home, looking out into the darkening evening sky.  
  
She didn't turn to greet Nabiki, but knew she was there, "Sup?"  
  
"Ah... sup..." Nabiki replied, as if testing the word, "Ranma, I-"  
  
"I don't wanna hear it."  
  
"Damn it, Ranma! Shampoo's scared to death of this! Can you even understand what she's going through?"  
  
Ranma remained silent, as if ignoring the girl.  
  
"Ranma, listen to me, please! At least let this all end, I promise... I promise that if her child is yours, I'll..." Nabiki swallowed her pride, "Won't care... we'll both just deal with it, alright?"  
  
"It ain't my kid," Ranma replied, in the most factual, finalizing tone.  
  
Nabiki bowed her head, knowing the conversation wouldn't go any further, "You bastard." With that, she climbed down from the roof, back into Akane's room.  
  
Akane had heard the conversation from eavesdropping, and thought it was best to point something out that she had realized, "Nabiki, something I have to ask you."  
  
"I don't care," Nabiki replied, walking towards Akane's door.  
  
"Nabiki, hold up a sec. Exactly how do you plan to get the blood test to hold if Ranma's-"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!" Nabiki shouted, slamming Akane's door.  
  
"...a girl?" Akane finished, before sighing in resignation. Akane had thought about it. Dr. Tofu obviously didn't have the the equipment to do them himself, and would have to have the samples sent off. How would the test be considered by a laboratory, if both supposed parents... happen to be girls? 


	25. Omake 4 Mousse sett'n it LIVE

Ranma; Just Plain Hard  
  
Mousse walked out to the center of the stage, and looked out to the audience, soothly dragging his thumb against the bottom of his chin.  
  
"Excuse me, allow me to clear my throat."  
  
I just thought I'd enlighten you on the subject of conversation,  
  
Zhi shi yi ge chou wen, it's a hell of a situation  
  
My dawg, Saotome, he be play'n it cool  
  
Even with Amazons in his hair, ain't play'n tha fool,   
  
he Zuo ge zhen shi de ren, because it ain't no thang  
  
All phony, when you know'n the game they play'n  
  
Ruthless and unethical, we call that hat'n for real  
  
They can't buckle this steel! Full up jocks we deal!  
  
Wu di! We straight hard, you just can't fade him or me!  
  
Even when fight'n dirty, we get away clean!  
  
but Cologne, Old bat Shi feng de that way.  
  
Voodo biddy always gett'n her way always they say,  
  
but you know?  
  
This time she's in the wrong, Shampoo Bu neng shuo zhen hua  
  
and that's a tragic flaw. But I ain't hat'n on my girl, but the lies aren't flow'n.  
  
Girl you got my love, but you reap what you sow.  
  
Just confess, and the truth is free to be known  
  
These state of affairs, as they be, shi fei chang cuo.   
  
Ranma in Cat's tongue, straight up, that's pretty damn raw.  
  
This piao liang fa that Ranma be is cramp'n his game,   
  
Nabiki need a real man, depriv'n her's a shame.  
  
This whole ordeal is gonna blow out, it won't take long. I gots qian on it, and my gambits are strong. Don't get me wrong, this battle's not 100%, but happy endings on the horizon, we just ain't finished yet."  
  
"Aight, aight, we can bounce to that," Ranma-chan commented, nodding her head from the sides, "But I still got your ass under me!"  
  
Mousse snorted, and pushed his glasses higher up on his nose, "You know Mandarin rhyme is my thing, not used to flowing with your lingo. And it isn't like Kasumi got you burned, so you not the top dawg, kid."  
  
"Awwww, looks like we'll have to settle up!" Ranma said with a smirk, she had been looking for an excuse to put Kasumi back in her place.  
  
Nabiki walked out on stage, holding her nose at the smell of testosterone rising from the redhead's body. "Alright, 'Zhi shi yi ge chou wen' means 'simply a scandal'. 'Zuo ge zhen shi de ren' is 'keeping it real'. 'Shi feng de' translates to 'is crazy'. 'Wu di' is 'invincible', while 'Bu neng shuo zhen hua' eans 'can not tell the truth'..." Nabiki glared at Mousse, who turned and looked sheepishly away.  
  
"Be thankful she isn't here," Nabiki commented, before returning to her translations, "Okay, where was I? 'shi fei chang cuo' means 'be very wrong'... which describes the majority of this author's fics..."  
  
WFROSE yawned, and simply held up the outline for one of the fics he hadn't decided to write yet, one centering on Nabiki...  
  
Nabiki's eyes went wide, as her face paled, stammering, she wrapped it up, "piao liang fa' to 'beautiful flower', and 'qian' is 'money'. I think I got all of them..."  
  
"Shit, girl, when you learn to speak Mandarin?" Ranma enquired, actually pretty impressed. Both Nabiki and WFROSE pointed to the subtitles at the bottom.  
  
"Well... shit."  
  
___________________________  
  
___________________________  
  
___________________________  
  
Author's notes: My esteemed thanks to Kwokinator for the translations. Without them, you would have to probably blame someone else for me making this omake :p 


	26. We ain't hea'n DAT!

Ranma: Just Plain Hard  
  
Ranma's mouth held a firm, straight line, as she drenched herself thoroughly with cold water. Out of sheer stubbornness, she threw herself into the tub, aiming to defeat the old woman's pressure point. All she did was manage to boil herself.  
  
The old voodoo biddy knew what she was doing. From the looks of it, the Cat's Tongue not only affected her sensitivity, but inadvertantly affected the curse as well. Swearing in fustration, she dried herself off, and dressed in one of her typical windsuits.  
  
Even if she wasn't all that hungry from the drama going on in her life, she was beckoned by the sweet scent of Kasumi's craft. Her stomach decided that her appetite needed a boost, and the pigtailed girl begrudgingly complied with its wishes. It wasn't as if she wasn't going to eat it anyhow; missing a meal by Kasumi was a damn crime.  
  
Strolling out into the tearoom, Ranma wasn't surprised to be met with indifference. They weren't outright ignoring her, since they all knew that the boy stuck as a girl can become pretty damn obnoxious when she wanted to be, but they weren't exactly appreciative of her presence. She noticed neither Nabiki or Shampoo were present, and while she didn't care about the latter, she was more than slightly curious about the former.  
  
"Damn, you peeps act'n childish," Ranma quipped, sitting next to Mousse; the only one at the table without at least a faint hint of disgust on his face.  
  
Akane opened her mouth to comment, but frose, and shook her head. The silence remained for several minutes, as everyone was served breakfast, Ranma being served last, and almost as an after-thought by Kasumi. As she did prepare the redhead's plate, the eldest Tendou daughter decided to shatter the tense silence. "You hurt Nabiki's feelings last night, Ranma. She really wanted to help you."  
  
Ranma looked over her glasses at the taller girl, and found Kasumi's face didn't match her gentle voice. Looking around, he realized Mr. Tendou and Akane's expressions were even with Kasumi's, his father's was contemptful in a way that Ranma realized was surpisingly sincere, and Mousse seemed more concerned with his meal than meeting Ranma eye to eye.  
  
With a contemptful snort of her own, Ranma responded, "Shit, yo. Why don't this just wait until I get some fuel in me? I ain't deal'n with drama before I be food'n up, we crystal?"  
  
"Yes, your constant running away from the issue is 'crystal', Ranma," Kasumi replied, almost simply dropping the plate onto the table before Ranma.  
  
"How can I be runn'n from the fucking problem, when it ain't even MINE?!?" Ranma asked, raising her voice, and pounding the table.   
  
Mousse reached over, and stilled Ranma's hand. "Hey, kid, I'm try'n to eat here, 'aight?"  
  
"Fuck NO it ain't 'aight'," Ranma retorted, jerking her hand away, "Now you act'n like part of the fucking drama club hea'! Whole shit's more fucked up than a Goddamn TV teen special, and you now hav'n doubts its yo' kid?"  
  
"Hold up, hold up, I didn't say it wann't mine," Mousse replied, glaring at Ranma openly over the rims of his lennon glasses.  
  
"Like FUCK you didn't! You now giv'n me flack, whazzat supposed to fucking mean, bitch?"  
  
"Aww fuck, now listen-"  
  
"BOTH OF YOU LISTEN," Soun suddenly shouted, jolting everyone to his attention, "I do NOT tolerate such language in my house, nor around my daughters! It WILL be ceased IMMIDIATELY!"  
  
"Uh, Tendou, ol' buddy..." Genma squeeked out, noting the extremely dangerous look his child grew at the outburst.  
  
"No, Saotome!" Soun countered, "If you are unable to control your own son, then he will not be welcome in this house!" The Tendou Patriarch then turned to Ranma, and in a low, threatening voice, "I presume we're, as you put it, 'crystal'?" More than Ranma's language was implied in the threat, since Mousse wasn't included in it.  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed to slits behind her glasses. She could afford to stay somewhere else easily, but she didn't like wasting money when it wasn't necessary. Right now, she had a crib to hand and good grub that she wasn't even paying for. Silently giving her response, Ranma picked up her chopsticks, and started digging around her food.  
  
"Man, it ain't even about the shorty right now," Mousse began again, quietly. He turned to look at Ranma, "Your girl was pretty damn hard for you, and you don't even appreciate it."  
  
"He's right," Akane took over, "Ranma, she keeps forgiving you, and I know how Nabiki is. She swallowed her pride for you last night, and you didn't even give a damn."  
  
"Akane, language," Kasumi chided, though not with any force.  
  
Akane nodded, before continuing, "You've cheated on her, you've taken advantage of her, you've been a hypocrite with her... and she's forgiven you. Do you know what that means? Do you know what you did to her last night?"  
  
Ranma held Akane's gaze for a few seconds, before looking away. Akane frowned, "I used to think you were something, Ranma. Hell, I even liked you."  
  
"Yes, you had seemed like a nice young man, if a bit rough," Kasumi added.  
  
"Indeed," Soun threw in his two yen. Genma remained silent, making a plate of fourths for himself.  
  
"You know?" Mousse stated, conversationally, "It's a pretty nice day outside, you peeps mind if I chill on the porch for breakfast?"  
  
"I'll join you," Akane said, picking up her plate, while glaring at Ranma.  
  
"That does sound like a nice idea," Kasumi commented, following her youngest sister.  
  
"Tendou, care for a game?"  
  
"Indeed, I'm finding the tearoom a slight... stifling," Soun replied, picking up his plate.  
  
Ranma poked around at her food, long after everyone had left her alone.  
  
______________________  
  
Ranma sat outside on the far side of the training hall. It wasn't like she was avoiding anyone, she was a hard nigga that did as she pleased... really. She just needed to be somewhere where she could leave the foo's nearby, and get her own peace.  
  
Shit, she didn't mean anything by what she said last night, so she doubted Nabiki was taking it all that hard. They were all blowing it out of proportion, since all she told her girl was that she was dead serious Shampoo's baby wasn't hers too.  
  
Nabiki had been pretty damn persistant about that, though. Ranma thought the middle Tendou sister was on her side, but she kept trying to get Ranma to go along with that damn blood test that would just tell them all what she had been saying the whole time!  
  
Of course, why didn't she just get it over with, so they left her the Hell alone? Shit, Cologne would have no choice but to live the Cat's Tongue point, and apologise on top of that, since Ranma was just an innocent nigga in the whole thing. Well, why should she get the test done? She didn't have to prove anything; they already saw that Shampoo was up to some shady shit. It's about time they shipped the bun-bak'n biddy back to China.  
  
It would be a lot easier if she just got the fucking test done, and shut all their asses up.  
  
"Fuck that test," Ranma mumbled to herself, "I ain't gonna be prov'n shit to anyone!" It was unclear if she was referring to the test being positive or negative.  
  
On top of all that, She hadn't seen Nabiki all day. Ranma hadn't gone to look for her, but the girl's presence was vapor. She may have taken off somewhere, but no one said she had gone out. Then again, none of those punks were saying much to Ranma right now, anyways.  
  
Getting tired of not knowing what was up, Ranma stood, and went to look for Nabiki. She didn't want to have to deal with opposition, so the redheaded gangsta took to the roof, and headed for Nabiki's window. Dangling upside down from the ledge Ranma peered inside, finding neither Nabiki or Shampoo inside.  
  
Swearing in irritation, Ranma flipped down from the top of the Tendou home, and decided just to ignore the surrupticious glares she was recieving, "Yo, where Nabiki take off to?" Not like she was expecting an answer, so she wasn't disappointed when she didn't get one.  
  
Rolling her eyes at their immaturity, Ranma decided she needed a squat; all this hat'n was giving her the runs. Heading to the bathroom, Ranma stopped, when she noticed both Shampoo and Nabiki exiting, both of them still with soaked hair from washing up. "Oh, there you are, been wondering what happened to your ass all morning?"  
  
Nabiki blinked and looked at Shampoo, "She talking to you?" Shampoo just stared coldly at Ranma, giving Nabiki a partial answer, at least.  
  
Ranma pursed her lips, "Oh, so you playing that same stupid ass game as everyone else? Thought you were betta than that!"  
  
Nabiki realized the redhead was talking to her, "Do I know you? Are you here with Akane?"  
  
"Oh, now you act'n stupid?" Ranma demanded, not in the mood for this game, either. "Look, fuck it. I'll just hollar at your stubborn ass later. Peace."  
  
Both girls watched the third walk away, mumbling to herself. "Well, she seems like someone I would like to associate with," Nabiki stated in her infinitely sarcastic manner.  
  
Shampoo missed her facetious attitude, "No want know girl, she bad... too, too bad."  
  
Nabiki sighed, realizing the lavender haired girl took her seriously, "Yeah, I kinda figured that. What was that shampoo you used again? Feels great!" 


	27. Kid, I don't even KNOW you!

Ranma: Just Plain Hard  
  
Ranma glared back at the lavender haired girl, as she passed the redhead one of those almost unreadable expressions she had been giving her since Nabiki had decided that she no longer knew Ranma. Even in Ranma's own irritance, she could almost see a little of an apologetic expression.  
  
"Fuck that," Ranma said to herself, "What that bitch fucking care, her loose ass is hea' just to fuck with my life."  
  
"That's not fair, Ranma. Quite frankly, she's got it worse off than you right now."  
  
"I ain't in tha mood for it, 'aight 'Kane?" Ranma quipped, tapping the bottom of her empty bottle of Green apple Smirnoff Twisted against one of the tiles of the roof.  
  
"I was just up here to bring you another beer, 's all, jeez Ranma," Akane responded, tossing the redhead a cool bottle.  
  
Ranma caught it, but watched Akane sceptically from behind her shades, "Cool, cool 'den. So sup?"  
  
Akane sat next to Ranma, opening her own bottle. She took a couple of sips, and studied it for a couple of moments, "This is pretty good, where did you get these?"  
  
"I still got hookups, G' I know does the run between Germany and Osaka, and makes a jump to T-Town. Headed out to New Sanno to pick this shit up, and you welcome to it, but I ain't gett'n another shipment of this shit for a minute, so don't be goin' lush on my ass."  
  
"I have to sneak around with these as it is around Dad and Kasumi," Akane responded, before taking a gulp, "You won't have to worry about me draining your precious stash."  
  
"Shit, don't be worry'n about creep'n with this brew, yo' Pops prolly won't even know what this shit is." Akane shrugged, deciding she didn't want to have to argue the point. Of course, she had a good idea that Kasumi couldn't say much, particularly after finding an empty bottle in the glass recycling, and Ranma doesn't care enough to keep the enviorment clean.  
  
"I ain't gonna ever figure that girl out."  
  
"What, Kasumi?"  
  
"Na," Ranma replied, "Talk'n about Nabiki."  
  
"Thought you didn't want to go into this?" the youngest Tendou sister replied, although turning her head away so Ranma couldn't see her knowing smirk.  
  
"You're her sister, you tell her that this immature bullshit's gotta end. Shit's gone on too far."  
  
Akane sighed, "I guess it has, never seen Nabiki do that with anyone before." The raven haired girl turned back to Ranma, "You miss her, don't you?"  
  
"You tripped up, I ain't miss'n the fucking drama she's all about," Ranma snapped, "It's just this whole 'who are you and what you doing in my house' shit is gett'n on my nerves!"  
  
"I'm sure it is," Akane responded, dryly, "Listen, I could talk to her, but I doubt anything I say will have any impact. The only thing I can think of is just maybe showing her you're sincere. I think... I think she's bound to forgive you."  
  
"Well, she ain't hear'n that" Ranma groaned, finally opening her second bottle.  
  
"I'm sorry you two aren't getting along now," Akane almost whispered, cupping he own bottle with both hands.  
  
"Huh? Not a few days ago, you were look'n down on my ass. Now you act'n all apologetic and shit?"  
  
"I know, I know," Akane replied. Truthfully, she still didn't approve of what happened breakfast the other day, and she was still angry at Ranma for what he did to her sister the night previous, but she wasn't blind. Ranma was pretending not to be taking it to heart, but she knew the cursed boy hated his situation too much to look at it straight. And within the last few days, Ranma couldn't even help the little desperation that began to show when she was confronting Nabiki. Ranma's 'hard' facade had a few cracks in it, apparently, and they all lead back to her sister. "I've just been thinking about things."  
  
"'Aight" Ranma replied.  
  
"It's just that I guess none of us considered that you would be coming with so much history. It has to be a difficult to deal with it all just coming at you like this."  
  
"A nigga's gotta deal with this shit as it goes," Ranma responded with false casualness.  
  
"You can be straight with me, Ranma," Akane turned to fully face Ranma, "You don't mean half the things you've been saying do you?"  
  
"Shit, I always tell'n it like it is! My documentaries are about keep'n it real!"  
  
Akane wasn't going to allow herself to be fooled, "You know? I regret when we first met, now. Then again, back in the day I admit I probably was a lil' bit of a bitch."  
  
"Oh, and you say'n I'm flow'n with a forked tongue?" Ranma enquired, bemused.  
  
"Don't push it, Ranma." the raven-haired girl, glaring at him somewhat balefully.  
  
The redhead chuckled, "is cool, just clown'n. But you know? We cool like that, now. Can't get in it with a thug like y- don't you fucking pitch that bottle at me!"  
  
Akane smirked, and lowered her arm, "Just 'clowning', Ranma."  
  
"Heh, yeah, we just tight like that, partna's. We can be fool'n without fucking drama, even if you go crazy and shit sometimes."  
  
"Gee, thanks."  
  
"Heh," Ranma chuckled, holding her bottle of beer out. Akane mused over the gesture for a second, before smiling, and clanking her own bottle against it.  
  
A few more moments, after finishing her bottle, Akane spoke up again. "Will you at least consider apologising to Nabiki? I hate to see her mad at you like this?"  
  
Ranma almost snapped at Akane, but knew she was the one that broached the subject in the first place, "If she done playing silly ass games, we'll talk."

* * *

"any idea what you're going to do, Shampoo?" Nabiki asked, sitting at her desk, as she looked at the pregnant foreign girl laying on her bed.  
  
"Shampoo no know still," the young Amazon responded. Her great-grandmother refused to speak to her, even acknowledge her presence. If not for Nabiki's insistance and influence over her father, Shampoo wouldn't have a place to currently stay.  
  
Shampoo looked to the old bedmat on the floor where Nabiki had been sleeping, allowing her guest to keep the bed, "Shampoo... no can thank you enough... for you kindness."  
  
Nabiki slumped a bit, "It's alright, Shampoo. I just have this feeling it's the least I could do fo you."  
  
"It' only because... circumstance, is right word, yes?"  
  
"I'm... not sure," Nabiki said, feeling suddenly confused about something.  
  
"YO!"  
  
Both Shampoo and Nabiki jolted at Nabiki's door being thrown open. They both recovered, finding the presence of a redhead girl who apparently was too engrossed in American Pop (hip hop, Nabiki corrected herself) culture. "Please, why don't you come in?"  
  
Ranma shrugged off Nabiki's sarcasm, "Look, I'm sorry, alright? Shampoo, I'm fucking sorry about all this shit, cool? But you ain't got business giv'n me all this hassle, 'aight?"  
  
"What do you have to do with Shampoo?" Nabiki enquired.  
  
"Aw HELL! This shit has gotten fucking decrepid, Nabiki!" Ranma snapped, "We'll settle this now, you gonna hear me out? Or am I gonna have to be roll'n on?" Even if she was barely able to grasp Ranma's slang through her less than stellar Japanese, Shampoo realized what Ranma had threatened. Shampoo began to sit up, eyes wide with the fear of losing her opportunity to gain Ranma's admittance.  
  
"Since you know my name, why don't you introduce yourself?" Nabiki enquired, though finding it difficult to actually take interest in the girl. She seemed more than a little rough for her tastes, and her crass manners were definitely rubbing her the wrong way.  
  
For the first time since she had been in that house, Ranma's mouth formed a full frown, "So it's like that? You just up and forgot me? Like what we had never mattered?"  
  
"What we had?" Nabiki asked, confused, before her eyes widened in realization, "Um, I'm afraid we're a little confused here. I'm not into 'experamenting' as it were, and I don't even know you!"  
  
Ranma snorted, shaking her head. "I'm gone, den."  
  
"Wha?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow, wondering what the girl's problem was. Nabiki knew she was gorgeous, but she wasn't aware she had a redheaded admirer. Shampoo remained on the bed, torn between two courses of action.

* * *

Ranma reached the guestroom, and picked up her already prepared pack. She already figured what was going to happen, but...  
  
With a growl, she attempted to dismiss her thoughts, and jumped through the window. She landed, tossing Kasumi only a glance, as the eldest Tendou sister was hanging out clothes. Ranma paused, before turning to Kasumi, and approaching. As the older girl stepped back, Ranma snapped the articles of clothing that were hers from the line, before turning towards the gates. Kasumi put her hand over her mouth, realizing what was happening. "Tell Akane the brew's now hers."  
  
Ranma exited the gate, not even caring who she said goodbye to. Strolling down the street, she kept her eyes closed from the stinging sensation she was feeling from the wind blowing in her face.  
  
Removing her sunglasses, she wiped them, most assuradly not to rid herself of tears.  
  
"Fucking girl body. Damn over-emotional, drama inducing, bitch shell. No wonder girls are fucking like they are, if they always have to put up with this shit," Ranma mumbled, heading away from the Tendou home.  
  
"She can't remember you, my Great-granddaughter saw well to that."  
  
"Fucking great, now I get to hear from you ancient voodoo ass," Ranma grumbled, not even turning to the old woman.  
  
"Come with me, if you wish to know why Nabiki does not recall you."  
  
"Shit, ain't got nutt'n betta," Ranma stated. She wasn't actually interested in what the deal with Nabiki was... even if she seemed strangely sincere about not recalling the redhead in the slightest. 


	28. Omake 5 'Encore'

JPH

"Are you sure about this?" Kasumi fidgeted on stage, wringing her hands together nervously, "I mean, maybe they were mistaken?"

WFROSE looked back at Ranma behind him, and sighed at the heated, animostic glare he was favoring. With a sigh, the author replied to the eldest Tendou sister, "Hey, the readers enjoyed it enough for an encore request, just don't pull and Eminem, alright?"

Kasumi smiled and nodded, "Well, I did enjoy myself... oh my, this will be so much fun! I mean, I've been practicing while doing the dishes while father was out running errands and everyone else is at school, and I have been listening to a lot of American Hip Hop lately..."

"Knock yourself out." With that, WFROSE /nicked himself to DJWFROSE, and got behind the twin turntables, starting up the beat, "Aaaaannnnd, BEGIN!"

"I got my encore-on-the-scene, cause my lyrics can-be-so-mean. And.. I runn'n words-that-are-so-clean they outshine-your-bling. But.. with style yet-to-unfold, I leave you stand'n-all-cold. Premonitions have-been-foretold. Eruption iminant, the breech can't hold.

Yet-I-bring-this-with-a-smiling-face-putting-niggas-right-into-their-place-smooth-as-silk-and-cute-as-lace-while-burning-you-like-a-can-of-mace!"

DJWFROSE nearly faltered on the tables, staring wide-eyed at Kasumi, "God DAMN!"

"Now I keep-bring'n-it-down. My makeup ain't-for-a-clown. Bozo's that-been-around, two-days, get-out-my-town.

No, you're not in my league, no need for-you-t'be-hang'n. Hat'n on you guys is like time-a-wast'n. Mean'n... I'm just highlight'n, and be blast'n with-this-mic'-n I keep'n ya-in-check just like I-keep'n-housing.

Tidy is-what-I-be. Mighty is-how-my-strength is and slam'n-ya-shak'n-yo-teeth, burying you under-the-ground-beneath-me.

Now who woulda-thunk, Kasumi be-hold'n-spunk? That the maid of-the-house be the queen-with-a-mouth? You-wouldn't-think-it-'cause-I-don't-really-look-it-but-I-krunked-it-like-the-shiznit-'cause-this-survival-of-the-fittest."

"Did she just say 'krunk'?" Nabiki asked Akane, who could only stare in dumbfoundment.

"I'll finish what I start, silencing critiques with-my-artform. Style far-from-the-norm', exposure can-be-quite-harmful. I-let-you-catch-that-breath, as I wrap-up-this-rendition-of-Ebony-Eyez's-'In-Ya-Face'-'n'-peace-to-ya-homies-much-love-and-Kami-be-bless'n!"

"Ah..." was all DJWFROSE could say.

"You know? I think she was calling me out..."

DJWFROSE shook himself out of his awed stupor at hearing Kasumi bring the flow, "Wait, man, she was just gam'n. No need to get hostile about it."

"Na, na, I think we needs a battle to settle this..."

DJWFROSE sighed, "Ranma... yo Ranma..."

"What?"

"You're just gonna hurt yourself, kid."

"Oh, you know it's gotta go down, now!"

"Damn it, NO! I'll have to be the one that writes that shit!" 


	29. Hurt'n yo peeps

Ranma: Just Plain Hard 

Ranma looked over at her gear on the floor, then over at the uniform hanging on the breech of the room she was in. It had been two hours since she arrived, and Cologne refused to bother with the subject that she used to lure Ranma with her, simply telling the redheaded gangsta that she was going to be starting work tomorrow.

It wasn't like she had anything better to do at the moment, so Ranma decided to that chill'n and earn'n some legit ducets would be... what that word... 'therapeutic'. It didn't have anything to do with getting Nabiki to acknowledge the first stick she got to sit on, ain't nothing like that... no way that noise be sound'n... nada...

"Sheet, fuck that frigid biatch," Ranma mumbled to herself.

* * *

"He just left?" Akane asked, incredulously.

Kasumi nodded sadly, "I'm afraid so, he did seem rather upset." Mousse rolled his eyes to the sky, shaking his head, as Akane threw her hands up in frustration.

"Oh Ranma, why did you have to go and punk out like that?" Akane sighed, resignedly, "Did he at least say where he was going?"

"No, but he didn't sound like he was coming back."

"So he's just going to leave Nabiki with the mess, I can't believe him!"

I hear ya, 'Kane'," Mousse agreed, "Kid gone and shown them true colors, all yella."

Akane scowled, "Fine, let the punk little bitch run, all he did was bring nothing but trouble!"

"Akane, language please," Kasumi chided, "regardless of how validated it is."

"So, how's Nabiki taking this?" Mousse enquired

"It's not bothering her," Akane said, feeling even more resigned.

"Yes, Nabiki had been behaving rather strange with Ranma, she kept asking who he was," Kasumi clarified, musing herself as to what it meant. She knew that Nabiki could be petty at times... well, 'petty' is such a small word in comparison to what Nabiki was capable of... but Kasumi didn't think Nabiki would be so childish as to pretend she didn't know the pigtailed boy, er, girl.

Mousse blinked, and sat up from the wall he was leaning against, "Ho, slow up, slow up, what you mean she kept asking who he was?"

"Well," Kasumi began to explain, "every time Ranma went to talk to her, Nabiki would ask who he was. She seemed remarkably honest about her ignorance, too."

"She didn't..." Mousse quipped, as his own expression formed into a scowl.

"Yes, Nabiki did," Kasumi assured.

"No, I mean Shampoo... she didn't... awwww sheeeet!"

"What's wrong?" Akane enquired, noting how angry Mousse became.

"We need to go find the kid... Ranma. I gotta clue what's up, and this part in'nt his fault."

"What?"

"Where Shampoo at right now?" Mousse suddenly demanded urgently.

"Why, she's upstairs with Nabiki in her- oh, hello Shampoo." Kasumi's sudden greeting drew Akane and Mousse's attention to the lavender haired Amazon, who suddenly bolted from where she was hiding around the doorway, and out the back yard. Mousse immediately rushed after her, leaving Akane flat-footed.

Shampoo didn't even look back, as she quickly leapt to the roof of the dojo, and off onto the wall surrounding the compound. It wasn't that she had any idea where to run to, nor did she really figure out why she ran; damn mood swings were making it hard to stay rational.

If she had looked back, she would have noticed Mousse pulling out a bolo from the sleeves of his coat. With a deft twirl of his fingers, the weighted cord propelled towards the escaping Amazon's legs, before successfully ensnaring them.

Mousse was already moving to intercept the tumbling lavender haired girl, and effortlessly caught the screaming Shampoo before she hit the ground. "Those are the Amazon skillz!"

"Set me down now, Mu Tsu," Shampoo demanded in Mandarin, after forcing her slight panic from the abrupt fall from herself; relinquishing the tight hug she had on the male Amazon's neck.

"Fine, fine, just look'n out for you," Mousse placated, gently setting the pregnant girl on her feet. When she was settled, Shampoo again attempted to bolt, before Mousse's hand snared her wrist tightly, "Raw deal, kid, we're talking first."

"We have nothing to talk about!" Shampoo retorted, "Just stay out of the way."

"Not when it's my child you're carry-"

"THIS IS NOT YOUR BABY!"

Mousse snorted, "Why you gotta be so hateful to your baby daddy?"

"This is not your baby, Mu Tsu," Shampoo growled, invading the taller Amazon's personal space, "If that were so, I would not hesitate to gouge out my own belly to rid myself of your infection. As it was, bedding with you in a moment of weak will and desperation was the greatest mistake of my life!"

Mousse stood silent for several moments, before shrugging, and putting his hands into his coat pockets, "You've told me worse before, but I can take it since I know you only hollar'n in duress."

"Damn it! It's because your presence is far too infuriating!

"No, it's because you're always front'n," Mousse put up a hand before she could retort, "If you didn't care about me, you would not have ever let me break you off in the first place."

Shampoo turned away, "Ranma convinced me to, don't think your charms, or lack thereof, had anything to do with it."

Mousse frowned, knowing he couldn't dispute her comment about Ranma's intervention. To hide his irritation, he turned away. "Shampoo, the antidote shampoo, where is it."

"I don't have it."

Mousse sighed, "Look, if you really want to get this whole mess sorted out, quit being difficult about shit."

"I am serious, I don't have it. Elder Cologne has it along with my other supplies."

Mousse almost growled, "You know full well you are required to keep the cure on you by Amazon Law."

"But am I an Amazon now, Mu Tsu? Elder Cologne had cast me from the family," Shampoo responded, bitterly, "If that bastard puddle of worthless piss you call a friend is willing to cause my pain, I will return it with what little pride I have left."

"And all you accomplish is leaving everyone hurt."

The lavender haired girl paused, "If that is what must be done, then so be it."

"Even if it means leaving Nabiki to suffer?"

"NO! I... yes, she attempted to take Ranma from me. Besides which, she had asked me."

"How did she know about the shampoo, anyhow?"

Shampoo kept her eyes downward, "I go back now, no point in continuing conver... conver... talk."

"Damn it, Shampoo! We can't be having this shit!"

The Amazon continued to walk back to the Tendou Home without turning back.

* * *

"She erased Nabiki's memory?" Akane parroted, beginning to fume within.

"Well, it's kinda like that, but you can't really erase memory," Mousse explained. "But the fact is she ain't getting it back until we get that shampoo."

"That means we'll have to find Cologne, and convince her to give it to us," Akane considered, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

"Yeah, like the voodoo biddy is gonna be the humanitarian," Mousse responded, "Especially when it comes to the punk who caused this whole damn mess."

"But isn't Shampoo supposedly carrying your child, Mousse?" Kasumi enquired, as she brought in some snacks.

"Well yeah, but she ain't being exactly forthcoming with that, is she?"

"Hey, maybe Dr. Tofu might know something about this shampoo!" Akane perked up, "He knows a lot about that stuff."

"Oh my, Dr. Tofu could prove rather helpful, couldn't he?"

"I'll go talk with him, while Mousse, you hunt down Ranma or Cologne. If Dr. Tofu doesn't have anything, we should at least try with the old woman."

"But Akane, wouldn't it be better if both of you were out searching for Ranma and Cologne? I mean two of you for the both of them. I could go speak with Dr. Tofu, and-"

"NO!" Akane quickly shouted, causing both Mousse and her sister to blink. The youngest Tendou sister chuckled nervously, "I mean, it's cool, Kasumi. You should wait here, in case Ranma shows up back here. That way someone's around to explain the situation if he attempts to confront Nabiki again."

"Oh my, I guess you're right," Kasumi replied, seeing the logic. Akane sighed in relief, causing Mousse to raise an eyebrow.

"Yo, Akane, what's up with-"

"No time to talk, let's get going," Akane quickly interjected, practically dragging Mousse from his seat, causing him to drop the cookie he was about to bite down on."

"Hold, lemme get a nibble, first!"

Kasumi continued to smile, until they were out of sight. Her expression turned to one of disapproval, as she looked up to Nabiki's room with both her sister and Shampoo residing in it at that moment, and gave a concerned one to the retreating backs of Akane and Mousse, "Good luck, you two."


End file.
